Strawberry and white chocolate blondies

Not to be confused with the American rockstar band, these treats are the distant cousins of the classic brownie. Instead of rich milk chocolate, white chocolate is the hero of this dish.

Credit: Danielle Abou Karam

• makes

  16

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 175 g unsalted butter, chopped, plus extra to grease
• 275 g light brown soft sugar (or dark brown)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 200 g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 175 g white chocolate chunks

Strawberry compote

• 250 g strawberries, hulled
• 50 g white sugar

Instructions

1. For the compote, chop 175 g strawberries into rough 2 cm pieces and place into a saucepan with the sugar and 1½ tablespoons water. Bring to the boil, then simmer over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes, or until the strawberries have broken down into a thick, jam-like consistency.
   
   
2. Meanwhile, chop the remaining strawberries into 1 cm pieces. Stir into the strawberry mixture and simmer for another 2 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
    
3. Preheat the oven to 170 ˚C. Grease and line a 20 cm square cake tin with baking paper.
    
4. Place the butter in a saucepan and melt over medium heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the brown sugar (the mixture won’t completely emulsify). Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes. 
    
5. Whisk the eggs and vanilla into the cooled butter mixture. Stir in the flour and baking powder until just combined, then gently mix in the chocolate chunks. Pour the mixture into the lined tin. Dollop over the compote and use a skewer to marble it through. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is shiny and slightly cracked and the blondie doesn’t wobble when you gently shake the tin. Check it after 25 minutes because you want it a bit fudgy in the centre. Cool completely in tin. Cut into squares.

 

Photography by  Danielle Abou Karam.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.