When there’s something I have in my head that I want to make but I’m not quite sure exactly how to do it, I start with some research.
I look in recipe books and I google and google and google, reading all the recipes that grab my attention and that look like the thing I have in mind. As I’m reading them I’m just know what I think sounds right and, often, what I just think, ‘oh no, I don’t that’s going to work’.
Then I give it a go, mixing different things I’ve read and seen and seeing how it works out, making notes so I remember what I did and what I thought worked.
And then, some days later, I try it again.
And always, always, I try to simplify wherever I can.
For this recipe, I’ve simplified everything so the quantities are easy to remember.
It’s also really simple to make - basically everything is just mixed in one big bowl and poured into a baking tray to cook.
I absolutely love the combination of white chocolate and raspberries - so summery.
I don’t have a sweet tooth at all and these are undeniably quite sweet!
But every now and then I just really fancy something sweet with a cup of tea so I’ll make these and eat one …. and then give the others away to neighbours and friends …
To make probably around 12 squares, you’ll need:
150g butter, melted
a little knob of butter for greasing the tin
200g demerara sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 medium egg
200g plain flour
150g raspberries (I used fresh but frozen would work too)
150g white chocolate pieces - I used white chocolate buttons but that was only because there wasn’t a bar of white chocolate in the shop - otherwise I do rather like smashing it up in its packaging with a rolling pin and having lovely uneven little chunks of chocolate. But the buttons were good too).
Put the oven on to heat up. I always forget to mention this bit as I have a gas oven and you don’t need to pre-heat them.
I put mine onto Gas Mark 6 so just a nice sort of medium heat. I’ve looked it up and this should be equal to around 200C or 400F - but you know your oven so do what feels right to you.
And now to get everything ready and weighed out, with the butter put straight into a little pan over a low heat to melt gently.
While it’s doing so, butter a square tin (or whatever shape you like really) and then put a piece of greaseproof paper/baking paper on top and so the ends hang off each side and then tuck in if you can.
I’m sure it would also be perfectly fine with just the buttered tin, but the paper does make it really simple to take out once cooked so is worth doing if you have some.
Tip the sugar into a big mixing bowl and pour in the melted butter and stir until it’s all combined.
Add the vanilla extract and stir in.
Then crack in the egg and stir again thoroughly so it’s all mixed in.
Tip in the flour a bit at a time and stir until mixed before adding some more. Continue until all the flour is completely mixed in and you have a lovely sort of batter.
Next stir in the chips or chunks or buttons of white chocolate, and then add the raspberries and stir those in too.
I just love the colours and flavours of the raspberry and white chocolate combination (and have of course already eaten several raspberries and chocolate buttons from the bowls).
Of course.
Pour the batter into the tin and smooth down so it’s evenly spread.
Put into the oven on the middle shelf to cook.
Now I don’t know about you but pretty much every time I try to bake something it takes much longer than the recipe says.
So what I do is check it after 15 minutes and also then take the opportunity to turn the tin around, just to make sure it’s cooking evenly.
I put the timer on for another 15 minutes and then check again … still not done, so I turn the tin again and give it another 15 minutes.
This time I think it’s done as it’s nicely golden brown, especially around the edges.
You also need to stick a skewer or knife into the centre and it should come out clean without lots of cake mix stuck to it.
You can also see I’m not very confident at this as I have clearly stabbed my cake several times to make sure!
It’s not totally coming out clean but then I do also want my blondies to be soft and fudgey so I don’t want it completely cooked ‘til dry.
It’ll continue cooking anyway in the warm baking tray so I think it’s the right time to take it out and turn the oven off.
Cool the blondies in the tray and then cut into squares, ready to share and eat ….
