About These Ruby Chocolate Blondies
These blondies are made with ruby chocolate, giving them their unique pink color and distinctive, raspberry-like flavor! Because of the ruby chocolate, they taste like white chocolate with a strong hint of a tart berry. And similar to the traditional blondies, these ruby chocolate blondies are tender-yet-chewy, with a sugar top that crinkles and flakes when sliced.
Let’s Talk Ingredients
Where To Buy Ruby Chocolate
Barry Callebaut is the exclusive manufacturer of ruby chocolate. You can buy their ruby chocolate callets (a product similar to chocolate chips) online at various sources like Amazon, Bake Supply Plus, and more.
However, ruby chocolate is often sold in big, expensive bags that are too much for the average home baker. Instead, I recommend you find these ruby chocolate bars by Chocolove for this recipe. A 3-ounce bar retails for $2.99 to $3.99 at grocery and specialty stores like Walmart and World Market. If you’re a Portlander like me, I found mine at New Seasons Market.
And don’t worry! Chocolove also has an exclusive partnership with Barry Callebaut that enables them to make these bars. You’re getting the real thing.
What is clear imitation vanilla extract?
Most vanilla extracts are “pure”, meaning that they are made with real vanilla bean pods and are brown in color.
Clear vanilla extract, on the other hand, is artificially made in a lab (hence the “imitation” in its name). Although it is vanilla in flavor, it’s not flavored by any actual vanilla beans. However, itts clear color keeps the blondie crumb a lighter color that allows the pink of the ruby chocolate to really pop!
Where can I buy clear imitation vanilla extract?
You can find clear imitation vanilla extract in the baking aisles of any major grocery store like Kroger, Safeway, and more. My favorite brands include the McCormick brand, Kroger’s generic version, and the Watkins brand of clear imitation vanilla extract.
If you’re a Portlander like me, Fred Meyer typically carries a variety of clear vanilla extracts. It is usually by the pure vanilla extracts (although it is much cheaper than the real stuff).
How To Store Ruby Chocolate Blondies
The blondies can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze this blondie recipe?
Yes! You can freeze the baked blondies.
To freeze the blondies, individually wrap any leftover bars in two layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will prevent the bars from absorbing any other flavors or odors in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to serve, transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. You can eat the blondies straight from the fridge, or rewarmed in the microwave.
Best Recipe Tips
Ingredient Tips
- The recipe states that you need 4 ounces (113 grams) of chopped chocolate to make the blondie batter. If you don’t have a digital kitchen scale, that’s equivalent to ⅔ cup of chopped chocolate. Each piece of chocolate should be roughly the same size and shape of a mini- or regular-sized chocolate chip.
I mentioned this earlier, but I used two 3-ounce Chocolove bars for my ruby chocolate. I measured the 4 ounces (113 grams) I needed for the batter, then chopped up the rest to save for topping the batter in the latter half of the recipe. - When chopping the ruby chocolate, make sure to follow the recipe instructions to chop it into smaller ¼- to ½-inch pieces. Any larger than that, and you’ll have a hard time melting the ruby chocolate. Similar to regular white chocolate, it tends to scorch easily and seize if the pieces are too large and/or the heat source is set too high.
If you’re inexperienced with working with ruby or white chocolate, err on the side of caution and cook the chocolate and butter over medium-low heat instead of medium. Although it will take longer to melt the ingredients, the gentler heat will help prevent any potential issues. - The ruby chocolate and butter needs to be melted and cooled slightly before using in the recipe. I recommend melting these ingredients first, then setting it aside while you prep the rest of the ingredients and make the brownie batter. Doing so will give the butter enough time to cool slightly!
Technique Tip
- It’s better to pull the blondies out of the oven early than leave them in too long—if you over bake the blondies, they’ll be tough. They might appear underbaked, but I promise that when they’ve cooled, they will be perfect.
Styling Tip
- When you first pull the blondies out of the oven, it’s possible that the ruby chocolate will look a little grayish. Don’t panic! It’ll turn back into its pale pink color as it cools.
Get the Recipe: Ruby Chocolate Blondies Recipe
Ingredients
For the Ruby Chocolate Blondie Batter
- 1 ½ cups (6.75 ounces or 191 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 ounces (113 grams) ruby chocolate, finely chopped into ¼- to ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons (7.85 ounces or 223 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons tightly packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons clear imitation vanilla extract
- 3 drops pink or red food coloring
For Assembly
- 2 ounces (57 grams) ruby chocolate, roughly chopped into ½- to 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Prep the oven and baking pan. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each of the pan's sides. Spray the parchment paper, too.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- Melt the butter and ruby chocolate for the batter. Place the butter and white chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan filled with a few inches of simmering water (be sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water).Cook over medium heat, using a heatproof rubber spatula to stir the mixture and scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally, until the chocolate and butter have melted and combined, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan or bowl from heat and set on a wire rack to Let the chocolate mixture cool slightly while you prep the other ingredients.
- Whisk the sugars, eggs, vanilla, and food coloring, then add the chocolate mixture. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the sugars, eggs, vanilla, and food coloring. Whisk on medium-high speed for 8 minutes, or until thick, fluffy, and doubled in volume. Reduce to low and slowly pour in the warm chocolate mixture, whisking on low speed until just combined.
- Mix in the dry ingredients. Once the chocolate mixture is combined, use the rubber spatula to scrape down the whisk and the bottom and sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the batter all at once and use a rubber spatula to mix by hand until just combined.
- Assemble the blondies. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly across the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the batter with the remaining ruby chocolate for assembly.
- Bake the blondies. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the blondies comes out with a few crumbs attached. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
- Serve and store. Run a butter knife or the offset spatula along the edges of the pan and use the overhanging parchment as handles to lift the blondies out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice into 2-inch squares and serve.The blondies can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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Weeknight Baking:
Recipes to Fit your Schedule
Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.
