WHITE CHOCOLATE BLONDIES, indulgence

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Lovely tray-baked version of chocolate chip cookies... 

Indulgent Blondies stuffed with white chocolate chunks & walnuts

Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies and no one ever turns down a brownie.  Blondies combines the two in a quick and easy traybake.

The recipe, from tv chef INA GARTEN, is very popular in the States.

Part of its appeal come from ease of preparation -- just mix & slide into the oven -- no fussing with spoons or hinged ice cream scoops.  

When temperatures are as high as they are right now, it's great knowing they can be whipped up quickly in the cool of early morning or late evening.

Like brownies and chocolate chip cookies, there's not much you can do to make Blondies healthier.   But 67 tried.  Half the white flour was replaced with self-raising brown to add fibre.  The huge amount of chocolate recommended was also reduced.

The blondies are very rich.  Portions are smaller than normal, making the recipe go further.  

They are perfect for a crowd and I await comments from the the numerous volunteers working on a by-election campaign, for whom this was made.

Blondies keep very well up to 3 days - if they last that long.  They can be frozen but the quality drops a tad.

(See review of Cherry Blondies, with cherries replacing some white chocolate chips,   below)

Cost: £5'ish

Feeds: a crowd

Ingredients

222g/8oz room temperature unsalted butter 

155gr/5.5oz light brown sugar lightly packed

106gr/3.75oz granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Two extra large (or 2.5 regular) room temperature eggs

144g/5oz all-purpose flour

144g/5oz self-raising brown flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

125g/4.4oz walnuts

200-300g/7-10.5oz white chocolate chunks

Method:

1. Line an 8 x 12inch/20x39cm with greaseproof paper; preheat oven to 175C /350°F
2. Cream butter & both sugars on high until light & fluffy (3 mins)
3. Reduce speed to low, beat in vanilla then eggs one at a time, mixing well; scrape down bowl, making sure all the batter from bottom and sides is well mixed
4. Sift together flour, baking soda & salt; again on low speed, slowly add to butter mixture; scrape down bowl
5. Fold in walnuts, then chocolate chunks; the batter will be a bit unwieldy 
6. Pour into tin, push into corners and smooth top
7. Bake 30 mins, no more or less; the centre may be a bit squidgy but that's how it should be
8. Cool completely; EITHER 
9. Cut into portions immediately (32 [4x8] for a crowd or 18 for sportsmen/women)
10. OR Freeze whole; when needed defrost overnight before cutting portions
11. If you like, melt some white or dark chocolate and drizzle over before serving 

Comments: 

'Really nice, loved the nuts.  We had them with coffee and there's only one piece left.' Staff of Pomona Greengrocers

Cherry Blondies: 'Makes the mouth feel yummy.  It's a lovely comforting moist biscuit/cake; the cherries and chocolate complement each other.' Political Agent

Tips:

White chocolate chips are available at Waitrose or on line but if you'd rather have milk or dark chocolate chips, they'll be fine.

 Please leave a comment in the box below

This recipe has been adapted by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.