Dessert Holiday Blondies

Recipe below! If you are a fan of the sweet and salty flavour combination, then you will love this recipe, especially with its added hint of holiday spice. A blondie has the texture of a brownie but without the chocolate, and its taste is like a dense, moist chocolate chip cookie dough. To transform this treat into a plated dessert, see the holiday note below.

• RECIPE •

Makes 36 blondies (one 9-inch/23 cm pan)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

• Ingredients •

• 1¼ cups (250 g) packed light brown sugar
• ¾ cup (175 g) unsalted butter, melted (still warm is OK)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cups (225 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 ½ tsp holiday spice blend** (3/4 tsp ground cinnamon and ¼ tsp each ground ginger, nutmeg and allspice)
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup (120 g) Skor toffee bits
• ½ cup (85 g) white chocolate chips
• Flaked sea salt, for sprinkling

• Directions •

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) square pan and line it with parchment paper so that the paper comes up the sides.

2. Whisk the brown sugar, melted butter, egg and vanilla by hand until combined. Add the flour, spices, salt and baking powder, and whisk in completely. Stir in the toffee bits, white chocolate chips and scrape into the pan. Sprinkle the top lightly with sea salt. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the top of the blondie has a shiny but crackled top (like a brownie).

3. Cool the pan on a cooling rack completely before removing the blondie to slice. The blondies are best enjoyed at room temperature, but will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

• Special Note for the Holidays •

To make a larger batch of this holiday spice blend to have on hand to add to your baking, morning yoghurt or lattes, stir 2 Tbsp (30 mL) of ground cinnamon with 2 tsp (10 mL) each of ground ginger, nutmeg and allspice and store in an airtight container).

• How to Serve •

To serve these blondies as a decadent plated dessert, portion the pan of blondies into 9 squares. Top each with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream with a touch of holiday spice added, and sprinkle with chopped Maple Toasted Pecans (toss 1 cup of pecan halves with 2 Tbsp of maple syrup, spread on a parchment-lined pan and bake at 350°F/180°C for 15 minutes).