Blondie

The first record I bought was Abba’s Arrival. The second was Blondie’s Parallel Lines. I was a little in love with Debbie Harry. Weren’t we all?

Blondie has stood the test of time. But these days Blondie is less of an aural treat and more of an oral one for me. I have at last discovered the Blondie (as opposed to the Brownie). It’s a squishy tray bake, like a chocolate brownie, but with a caramelly buttery flavour, almost like butterscotch. And of course the regular blondie can be pimped up, by adding all manner of bling. In this recipe I’ve added dark choc chips, brazil nuts, ginger and dried sour cherries. And they rock.

Pimped up blondies

• 100g butter, melted
• 150g dark muscovado sugar, bashed to get rid of all the lumps (or use a soft brown or light muscovado sugar)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 140g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp bicarb of soda
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• pinch of salt
• 50g crystallised ginger, chopped into wee nibs
• 50g dark chocolate, chopped into wee nibs
• a handful of brazil nuts, chopped
• a handful of dried sour cherries (or cranberries)

Grease and line an 8″ square baking tray. Pre-heat oven to GM5.

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger and salt. Leave to one side.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the sugar and melted butter – this is easiest with an electric beater. Don’t worry if it’s still a bit bumpy and grainy.
3. Add the egg and vanilla and keep beating – it’ll change colour to a much lighter tan and will become fluffy and almost moussy.
4. With a large metal spoon stir the flour mix into the buttery mix. Fold it in, without beating, or you will lose the lightness of the mix.
5. Add the ginger, nuts, chocolate and cherries (or whatever you are pimping the mix with) and stir through.
6. The mix will be relatively thick. Spoon it onto the baking tray, and spread it out.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the blondies are smelling too good to leave for a minute more, and they look golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and cool for about 20 mins before removing from tray and cutting into slices.

Perfect with an afternoon coffee. A proper real strong coffee.

Other ways to pimp your blondies:

• Add smarties or M n Ms
• Add any dried fruit
• Try salted nuts if you enjoy that sweet-salt hit
• Gobs of peanut butter stirred through once the mix is in the tray
• Coconut
• Chopped up mint toffees
• Oh, just raid your cupboard, or the sweetie drawer (what you don’t have a sweetie drawer?) and see what inspires you

Tags: baking, Butter, Chocolate, ginger, recipe, street party, Sugar, sweet things, tray bake, Valentines Day treat