Black and White Bars are a no decisions, all-in-one kind of bar; a chewy double chocolate brownie bottom topped with a vanilla enhanced white-chocolate blondie layer. These bars are easy enough to bake for no special occasion at all, however, they are eye-catching and delicious enough for celebrations.
Very quietly, with no fanfare, The Monday Box celebrated its three year anniversary this month. I find that quite amazing for many reasons.
This blog continues to be a source of pride, friendship, and lots and lots of cookies! During the course of publishing my weekly recipes, I have gained a number of things besides the inevitable baking blogger pounds.
Most wonderful to me are the friends I have made. The food blogging community can be incredibly inclusive and supportive. I am deeply appreciative of those bloggers who continue to offer words of encouragement and enthusiastic support for each post I publish.
I have been lucky enough to meet some of my blogger friends in person, others I hope to meet some day. To all, I thank you.
One hundred and twenty-five Monday Box published recipes have provided me with quite a bit more baking knowledge than I had when this blog started. I now know the wisdom and joy of having a freezer full of frozen dough balls ready to pop in the oven.
I have a son who can taste the difference between chocolate chip cookie dough that is allowed to age, to improve the flavor and texture, and one that is baked the day it is mixed.
Also, I have acquired favorite baking tools; a digital scale, three sizes of cookie scoops, and my GIR silicone spatulas (just a favorite, not an affiliate).
For me, the most amazing proof of the passage of time is that my Monday Box muse, the guy to whom I have, in an act of obsessive motherly love, sent weekly Monday Box care packages, is graduating from Northwestern University in just a few weeks!
Freshman year, I sent polka dotted boxes that could be easily identified in the overcrowded dormitory mail room. Sophomore and junior years there was no shortage of taste testers when the Monday Boxes arrived at my son's fraternity house.
This year, UPS has delivered directly to his apartment door. There are only four weeks left of senior year. The future is yet unwritten. Wherever my son may plant himself, The Monday Box will follow, a periodic reminder that he is loved.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and each egg individually, mixing between additions. Stir in the flour, just until incorporated.
- In a medium mixing bowl make the chocolate batter by combining 2 cups of batter, melted semi-sweet chocolate, espresso powder, and chocolate chips.
- Spread the chocolate batter into a parchment lined 9" x 13" baking pan. Combine the remaining batter with the melted white chocolate, and spread over the chocolate batter in the pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
More brownie and blondie recipes
Butterscotch Blondies will amaze you with how quickly you can bake something so delicious!
Coconut Milk Toffee Blondies are golden bars with a soft, chewy texture and a touch of crunch from toffee bits.
Sugar Cookie Brownies have heart shaped sugar cookies that bake right on top of the fudgy brownies. It's two desserts in one!
Surprise Inside Brownies will be the favorite for any patriotic celebration!
Black and White Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate melted and cooled slightly
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- ½ cup chocolate chips semi-sweet or dark
- 4 ounces white chocolate melted and cooled slightly
- Optional chocolate drizzle Not recommended for warm weather shipping:
- 2 ounces white chocolate melted
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate melted
- ¼ cup brown and white jimmies sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Lightly coat a 9”x 13” baking pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper extending over the edges. Lightly spray the parchment paper with additional cooking spray.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt for at least 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla, then each egg individually, beating well between additions.
- Gradually mix in flour, just until incorporated.
- Measure 2 cups of batter into a medium mixing bowl. Add the melted semi-sweet chocolate, espresso powder, and chocolate chips. Stir to combine.
- Spread the chocolate batter evenly in the prepared baking pan.
- Add the melted white chocolate into the remaining batter and stir to combine.
- Gently spread the white chocolate batter evenly over the batter in the pan, forming a second layer.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean.
- Cool completely in the pan.
- Once cool, use the overhanging parchment to lift the cake onto a cutting board to slice into bars.
- Serve plain, with powdered sugar, or with a drizzle of melted chocolate.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Double wrap pairs of bars in plastic wrap before placing in airtight containers or ziplock bags.
- For longer shipping times, do not cut into bars. Wrap the entire cake, first in foil to keep the bars from drying out, then in plastic wrap for an airtight seal.
- Include a plastic knife in the care package.
Nutrition
First Published: May 23, 2015. Last Updated: April 30, 2022. Updated for additional information and better reader experience.
Suzanne Rudge (MapleMouseMama)
What a lovely post Wendy! Congrats on the blog anniversary. That is an amazing accomplishment! And congrats on having a child graduating from college soon. Another great thing to be proud of. I must say this recipe does look fancy and yummy, all at the same time 🙂
The Monday Box
Thanks, Suzanne! I have been amazed a lot lately. Blog 3 years old?! Really?! Son graduating college?! Really?! Lots to be awed about. 🙂
Harriet Emily
Wow Wendy! Now this is one perfect, heavenly dessert. They each look so beautiful and the recipe sounds absolutely divine! I really love the sprinkles and icing drizzle on top. These will be the perfect treat for me to make over the weekend, thank you!
The Monday Box
Thank you, Harriet Emily! These bars really do taste as good as they look! 🙂 An added bonus is that they stay fresh for over a week!
Mir
Wow, that's quite a milestone! Congratulations on your big 3. I'm taking it one year at a time, and it's always a challenge, but rewarding as well.
Your work is truly lovely. These bars are a perfect example! They're delicious, I'm sure, but also so beautiful!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Mir! Like you, I am taking blogging one day at a time. As long as I am still enjoying the ride, learning, and growing, then I will keep blogging. 🙂 I appreciate your kind words. These bars are as tasty as they are pretty. They made it to my favorites list! 🙂
Reeni
A huge congrats on 3 years Wendy! And congrats to your son too! I bet those boxes were something he really looked forward to. I think you're pretty amazing for what you do. These bars look absolutely delectable - I'm a huge fan of white chocolate!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Reeni! It's hard to believe I have been baking Monday Box stuff for three years, but even harder to realize that my son is finishing college. Blogging is an adventure and there is ALWAYS so much more to learn. You would love these bars. The chewy top half is full of white chocolate and vanilla !
Ashley
Congrats on three years Wendy!! What a beautifully written post too! And huge congrats to your son!
And of course these bars look delicious, as always!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Ashley, for your kind words! Time has a way of slipping by. Suddenly you look up from your keyboard or cookbook and find that three years have gone by and your "baby" is graduating college. 🙂 Savor each moment.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
Oh Wendy this is such an amazing lovely post. Congratulations on your anniversary! You do a wonderful thing here and all your recipes look amazing. Congratulation also on your sons graduation. What a terrific accomplishment. I love your blog and your stories and hope you continue so I can still count you as one of my favorite virtual friends.
The Monday Box
Thanks so much, Tricia! Your kind words and enthusiastic support are ALWAYS appreciated. 🙂 The plan is to keep blogging until.....? I truly hope that some day we can meet in real life (at a blog conference or when you open your b&b 😉 ) and our virtual friendship can be real life too. 🙂
Monica
Wendy, this is a beautiful post. First of all, happy 3 years of blogging! You have achieved so much and touched many of us in these few years. I'm thankful to have gotten to know you a bit thanks to blogging, and I want to thank you for all the gracious words and encouragement you've shown me. You have inspired me with not only your delicious recipes and tips but with what you do with the military packages and spreading the word on how we can give back a little. I'm also thrilled about your son's graduation! I know your regular care packages have been a constant reminder of your support and love back home. I'm sure those thoughtful packages fueled him the last few years and will continue to be a sweet part of his life in all the adventures to come.
It's no fair I'm looking at these black and white bars without a few in front of me! : ) I love those chocolate chunks in the bottom layer. They are striking to look at and pretty much irresistible! Have a lovely Memorial Day!
The Monday Box
Thank you for being my head cheerleader, Monica! We really do have a mutual admiration society going here. I have lost count of the cooking magazines and cookbooks that I have learned about from reading your blog, not to mention the many chocolate or Asian inspired dishes you oh so casually whip up to satisfy a craving, but are new and fascinating and delicious to me! You inspire me to be adventurous with new flavors and techniques.
Becoming more aware of the selflessness and sacrifices of our military, was an unexpected extension of my care package niche. I am delighted that my posts can be help spread the message. 🙂
As for Noah's graduation.....as trite as it sounds, time moves so quickly. We all need constant reminders to live in the moment and seize the day! Thank you, for your sweet words and kind wishes!
Monica
To hear you say that *I* have inspired you to be adventurous with flavors and techniques boggles my mind! Thank you, Wendy. And thank you on the reminder about time and living in the moment. It is not trite at all but so true. Have a great one - enjoy everything!