Somerset chef Steve James has come up with a simple twist on a classic spring treat
Hot cross blondies
Makes 9
Ingredients
- 250g cold unsalted butter, cut into 6–8 pieces
- 275g light soft brown sugar
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
- 300g plain flour
- Zest 1 orange
- 2tsps mixed spice
- 50g mixed dried fruit soaked in 3tbsp of brandy or apple juice overnight
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Method
- Preheat the oven to 170C fan and grease and line a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the sugar and cook for a couple of minutes until smooth and glossy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Beat the eggs, vanilla and salt together in a large bowl. Then whisk in the butter and sugar mixture and the flour, orange zest and mixed spice until smooth.
- Fold through the soaked, mixed dried fruit and pour the batter into the prepared tin.
- Mix together the flour and water for the cross until smooth. Pour into a piping bag, or use a spoon, and pipe three lines, evenly spaced horizontally and vertically so you when you cut the blondies you get a cross in each one.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. It should be set but with a slight wobble in the middle.
- Remove the blondies from the oven and cool completely, preferably overnight.
- Slice into nine squares and serve.
Steve James is a personal chef and owner of stevejamesltd.com