Maple syrup tapping runs from late February through March and even into April in the Upper Peninsula just depending on the winter various areas are having. It is a short season, only 6-10 weeks long. Michigan is Number 5 in the nation for maple syrup production. Not all of it is commercial as there are about 2,000 Michiganders who produce maple syrup or candy as a hobby or just for home use.
Just one way to use maple syrup in some very moist, nutty maple blondies with a maple syrup glaze!
Sugar maples have the highest sugar content and must be about 40 years old with a 10-inch diameter before it’s ready to tap. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. So, every tree tapped will yield about a quart of maple syrup.
Boiling the sap down…
Tapping maple trees – a hobby for this homeowner!
Maple Nut Blondies
Recipe slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour
- 1-1/4 cups AP flour
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 6 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, (packed)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 tsp. maple flavor/extract
- 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan.
Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder; set aside.
Melt the butter and brown sugar together; remove from the heat and stir in the syrup.
Let cool to lukewarm, then stir in the eggs, one at a time; add the maple extract/flavor.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter mixture just until combined; then add the nuts.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes and the edges just begin to pull away from the pan. Remove and let cool before cutting.
Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
- 1-2 tbsp. milk or cream
Whisk together all of the ingredients; adding more liquid as needed to get a pourable consistency. Drizzle over the cooled bars.
Store at room temperature for 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. You will get sixteen 2-inch squares.
Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com
Notice the “white snow” in the background – yes a 1/2-inch snowfall on the last day of March here in lower Michigan!
After a few years in Vermont, I’m no doubt a maple addict! Love these! 🙂
Thanks Ronit – living in Michigan all of my adult life I am a devoted maple addict. Love using it in sweet and savory dishes…
Maple rules! 🙂
I do love maple syrup! and i love how it is gathered. Must be a very long-haul plan when you want to be a maple syrup farmer:-) Your blondies sound marvellous. cheers sherry
Me too Sherry! Thanks – it was a quick and simple way to use a favorite ingredient. Even doing it as a hobby would be a lot of work 🙂
Ah, that’s the flavor around here in NH and Vt. I Love maple! I’m sure your Blondies are delicious, wish I could taste one!😉
Thanks Mary – I knew you would be a fan of maple syrup where you live. The blondies are a simple dessert or even a brunch/breakfast treat. Nice to make something that I didn’t have to go shopping for ingredients… 🙂
Have you tried the local maple sugar candy from the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market? The original owner died a few years ago but his sons have kept up the tradition every since, and I hope they are back this year. Argus Farm Stop has their products too. I think they are from around here,not from the UP.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.ccom
Yes, I sure have in the past – shaped like a maple leaf! I live in Plymouth now so I don’t get down to the Ann Arbor Market as much as I use to. I’m certainly going to need some more maple syrup and will check out the candy (again) for a “small treat”. Thanks for stopping by and commenting… 🙂
Really nice. I love using maple syrup, and not just on pancakes. I just put some on my grand daughter’s yogurt the other morning. It was infused with vanilla and cinnamon and she loved it! I’ve never seen this process done – need to rectify that!
Thanks – perfect way to use maple syrup with the added bonus of vanilla and cinnamon! It has a natural sweetness and a higher concentration of antioxidants but fewer calories than honey. I use it in my smoothies, sauce over ice cream – savory and sweet it’s great to use in just about anything.
Having lived in New Hampshire, I certainly looked forward to the sweetest time of the year. Your glazed blondies look great.
Thanks Karen – most people who have lived where maple syrup is tapped love this wonderful sweet condiment. No Aunt Jemima for us 🙂