Recipes
White Chocolate & Pecan Blondies
Blondies are the pale, caramel cousin of the brownie - instead of cocoa, they lean on a buttery, vanilla flavour and pockets of white chocolate melting in the middle. The result? A moist, slightly chewy bake with a crisp top crust and little pools of molten sweetness. This is the kind of dessert that vanishes from the tin before it has time to cool.
The secret to its depth of flavour is browned butter (beurre noisette) along with ADIKAM white-chocolate-flavour discs, which add creaminess and melt beautifully through the batter. Pecans bring crunch and a nutty note that balances the sweetness perfectly.
Ingredients
- 150 g butter
- 180 g brown sugar (muscovado or light)
- 2 eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 180 g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 150 g ADIKAM white-chocolate-flavour discs
- 80 g pecans (or walnuts), roughly chopped
Method
- Heat the oven to 175°C (conventional). Line a 22x22 cm square tin with baking paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the bake out later.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until it smells nutty and turns a golden-brown colour (3-4 minutes). Take off the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
- Stir the brown sugar into the cooled butter until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each, then stir in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture and fold in with a spatula just until combined - don't overmix.
- Fold 100 g of the discs and most of the pecans into the batter. Pour into the tin and level the top.
- Scatter the remaining discs and pecans over the surface, pressing in lightly.
- Bake for 22-26 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centre is still slightly moist (a skewer should come out with a few crumbs). Don't overbake - blondies firm up as they cool.
- Leave to cool completely in the tin, then lift out and cut into squares.
Tip
For that classic, slightly chewy middle, take the blondies out of the oven while the centre still looks a touch underdone - it will set as it cools. For a deeper flavour, add a pinch of sea salt over the top just before baking.
