Today I went on what was essentially a compulsory, yet fully paid, food hygiene course organised by my employer. Apparently it is a requirement as at the bar in which I work we prepare and serve toasted sandwiches. This course wasn’t exceptionally useful as it ended up being a course in how to make use of common sense – by which I mean that it was no harder than it was useful. Still, I suppose if it means I get more/continue to get shifts it was one of the more worthy uses of my time. Anyway, to cut a long story short, what does one do having completed a food hygiene course? Go home and bake blondies following very little of the imparted advice, that’s what.
The weather, the default topic of conversation for any self-respecting Brit, has taken a turn for the worse in the past few days, it is cold, wet and rainy – which is rather annoying since I’d really like to go for a jog. What it also means is that I’m beginning to crave more comforting foods and what could be more comforting that a good ol’ fashioned brownie? However, I soon remembered that I had already posted a spectacular brownie recipe and that only something new would suffice. It was at this point that the lesser-known blondie was remembered and the rest, as they say, is history.
Words cannot describe how delicious these little treats are. I always assumed that they would never taste quite as good as a brownie, but they really do. I’ve also seen recipes that use all manner of extra ingredients, from coffee to alcohol and almost everything besides – blondies are incredibly versatile, probably more so than brownies since they are essentially a blank canvas. Although, it would be best not to go too mad with ingredients, in my opinion simple is always the route best chosen. Doing so would almost certainly impinge on any frugal intentions anyway, and we wouldn’t want that.
Chocolate Chunk Blondies
Makes 12-15
Ingredients:
• 100g melted butter
• 200g light muscovado sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 210g plain flour
• 70g plain chocolate, chunked
• A pinch of salt
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 170C and grease a baking tray similar in size to the one pictured. Melt the butter in a heavy based saucepan, stir in the sugar before cracking in the egg and adding the vanilla extract – beat until smooth.
2. Add the flour and salt, fold until there are no discernable lumps, then add whatever extra flavourings you like – in this case chocolate.
3. Pour this mixture into the baking tray and bake for 20-22 minutes. Remember, an undercooked blondie is better than one that has been overcooked. Leave to cool before cutting and serving.
Cost: As you can see, this recipe is extremely simple and requires very few ingredients. Therefore, it is relatively cost effective, as one might imagine, at an incredibly judicious £1 for the lot. Please enjoy these and keep in mind that in a café a single blondie could cost as much as double what one should expect to pay for this entire batch.
70 replies on “Chocolate Chunk Blondies”
Jesus! My husband would befriend you for life for just one bite!
Well, he can’t have one! 😀
I positively love your writing! And you’ve made me crave blondies though my lips have never even touched one! But they will!
Thanks so much! That’s probably the biggest compliment anyone could pay me. They should do.
i am a huge fan of blondies! there was a recipe we used to make at work that had cream cheese in it that i seriously could never stop eating once i started! they were bad news bears! a recipe with this few ingredients is right up my alley!!!
You clearly are… That sounds great too. I made brownies with a cream cheese filling a while back, but never got round to blogging it… I should make them again. I also posted a recipe for chocolate muffins filled with cream cheese.
Please tell me more about the pot in pictures two and three! I love the spout.
My dad picked them up from an antiques shop for a very very good price. They are beautiful (we have a set, minus 1 lid)
Oh yes, and the blondies look divine! Love all of the baking that is done this time of year.
they look so yummy… I would like to post this recipe on my blog,
http:// lizsoutherngirl.blogspot.com ,if it is ok.liz
Of course, if you link me back 😀
I had to laugh at your description of the hygine class…When I was young, and working in restaurants, the state required all food workers to attend. The ‘class’ lasted half a day – how long does it take to say, “Wash your hands, and put things in the fridge…”?
I got older, moved to another part of the country, and went back to work in foodservice. In this state, not everyone in a shop has to take the classes, only management. Here, the class is 40 hours. I went through it twice in 10 years – you have to ‘re-certify’ very so often. What did we learn in this extended version? Keep the cold stuff cold, the hot stuff hot, and wash your hands…
Your blondies are mouth-watering…I might have to clear the schedule next week!
I aim to please! It was a little ridiculous. A 6 hour thing and I didn’t learn any more than common sense… oh well.
What a great recipe. I always think the only thing missing in a blondie is a bit of chocolate!
I know. I did post this recipe in a kind of ironic mind, knowing that what makes a blondie and blondie is the lack of chocolate.
Be still my heart. Those look irresistible.
They are, I can feel them drawing me downstairs. I hope your heart settles down.
A fabulous looking blondie baked by a fabulous looking blondie!
Thanks, girlfriend.
Thanks for liking my salsa post on Northwest Culinary Adventures. My all-time favorite is brownies-so I have to try this one soon. Come to think of it I’ve never tried a blondie before…
No problem, it looked delicious. This was my first taste of a blondie and I was more than satisfied, you must try them.
Oh my goodness. These look dangerously delicious and stunning :).
They are a little dangerous, one had me in a headlock the other day.
I’m totally making these! I am in total agreement with you on the weather and jogging. I want to be outside running and loathe the treadmill. It’s a problem.
I don’t have a treadmill and I can’t afford the gym, so I need the wind to go away.
They look heavenly!
For some reason over the last few days all I want to do is bake every night and I happen to love Blondies… I am going to try out your recipe… if they are half as good as they look then I’m going to love them 🙂
Please do, they are simply delicious!
Also… do you think it would make a hugeee difference if I used regular white sugar?
Not at all, if it’s granulated it might be a little more grainy. Also, the colour probably wouldn’t be quite the same.
Oh my goodness….must make!!! They look delicious 🙂
These look A-mazing 🙂 You’ve managed to achieve such a wonderful crackle on the crust and the middle looks so moist and gooey. I always thought I was a brownie girl, but think your blondies may just have stolen my heart…
They were overcooked by a couple of minutes which was a little annoying. They were nearly perfect though. Give them a go!
Right, think I will have to excuse myself from the computer to head into the kitchen to make a batch of these right now.
Have a happy weekend.
🙂 Mandy
PS. Will report back on my results.
I look forward to the written report 😛
These do look good but, like brownies, I’ll wait to make them until I’ve got visitors. I have far too little self-control to make a batch of these when I’m the only person in the house.
I usually do. I had to take some to work and give some to my nan – I was conscious that I didn’t want to eat them all.
my goodness the chocoalte it oozing form the computer screen, That is one perfect photograph.
I think your computer might have a problem, get a guy in for that. Thanks though 😀
Holy chocolatey goodness these look amazing! Ugh, man I could really go for one of those right now…the 4pm Friday slump is just killer without chocolate!
Thanks so much! You should make some 😀
Ah yes, here they are! Look at all of these wonderful comments. As much as I love to cook, I love to bake more, and can’t wait to try these! If I can figure out how to post your recipe on my blog so that it links people back here, I’ll happily do it! In the meantime, I’ll share this post w/my 900+ friends on FB 🙂
Feel free! Let me know how these go.
These look gorgeous and I love the step by step photos!
Thanks! I try to provide them where possible – usually in bakes.
Now I know what a Blondie is (never heard of them here in Australia) add chocolate and Im in heaven!! Thanks for sharing.
I just made some yummo!! may I share the recipe with a like back to you please?
You may!
I didn’t know before I started on wordpress.
I love brownies,but I think is time for me to try blondies, because these look amazing. Have a nice weekend 🙂
Thanks so much! I enjoyed my weekend very much, especially my day off yesterday.
You are an evil evil man for posting these.
🙂
I know, but aren’t all men evil 😀
I’ve never seen a store selling blondies actually, not even the bakeries seem to make them, preferring to sell brownies. Their loss but our gain I guess, especially since homemade blondies are the best! I can’t wait to make a batch of these tomorrow.
They really are unpopular in comparison to brownies. I’m not sure why as they are so delicious! Let me know how they go.
I think I may have gained weight just by looking at the photos!!! Too yummy!
I definitely gained weight eating them, so perhaps it’s possible.
The melting chocolate in the picture makes my mouth water. I’ll definitely have to celebrate the chocolate week that you’re talking about. Maybe I’ll even have to extend to celebration till the end of the month!
Why not extend it all year round? I guess that would be fine.
I love blondies. Normally I like only chocolate, but blondies have my heart as well!
These were my first and I adored them.
Oh MY!! I’m on a mission to make these. They look so good!…now to find a kitchen scale or convert those grams to cups, LOL
They were delicious! Sorry, but I don’t the will power to convert all my measurements!
These look delicious! Baking is not my strong point, but I just might give these a try.
Do, you won’t regret it and they are SO SIMPLE.
If I wasn’t so full and baked out already today I’d totally be whipping up a batch of these…sigh…. so much food so little time
Can one be baked out?
These look so sinfully divine I can’t wait to make them. I fancy myself as a bit of a Brownie Queen but it looks like I’ll soon be extending my repertoire to include these. I’ll let you know how they turn out. 🙂
That’s a fairly accurate description… Please do.
[…] I read back on my previous blondie recipe, it occurred to me that the weather takes a turn for the worse every time I make them. Indeed, […]