Blondies

I made these white chocolate goodies for the 3rd Annual Fiesta of Deliciousness. And yes, the crazy name fits perfectly with the crazy event. A friend of mine started the Fiesta a few years ago. The only rules are you have to bring the best most delicious thing you can think of and bring enough to share. And the most important rule: Everything is supposed to be homemade. We usually fill whatever house we are in, and spend the entire evening eating, chatting, and playing games. The best part about the Fiesta is that you really have no idea what food will show up, but it's gonna be good. This year we had a lot of casseroles and soups, which was perfect for the chilly November evening. 

I am a huge fan of dark chocolate- like really dark. The darker the better. Because of this, I do not typically like white chocolate since it's at the opposite end of the chocolate spectrum. These are a fun alternative to regular brownies, however. I also happen to be related to several people who love white chocolate anything, so I figured I should have a few white chocolate recipes in my arsenal. This recipe is easy to under-bake because their color is so light and when they start browning on top, it seems like they should be done. Just make sure they really are before taking them out of the oven.

Blondies
Makes 12

7 tablespoons butter, chopped, plus extra for greasing
4 1/2 oz. white chocolate, broken into pieces
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup hazelnuts or macadamia nuts, chopped
3 1/2 oz. white chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups plus 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a shallow 9 inch pan with butter and line the bottom with baking paper.

In a small saucepan or a double broiler, heat the butter and the chocolate together over low heat until the chocolate is just melted, then remove from the heat and stir gently until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and eggs, then stir in the chocolate mixture, vanilla, nuts, chocolate chips, and flour, using a wooden spoon. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake in the hot oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. The cake should also be firm around the edges but still moist in the middle. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan completely. Remove the cake from the pan and cut into 12 squares.