Jane’s Patisserie Bakewell Blondies

Until I moved to the UK I had never had a Bakewell anything. It occurred to me recently that I’m perhaps trying to make up for lost time. The specific combination of almond and raspberry jam filled a flavor hole in my life I didn’t even realize was there until the first time I had it and now, well, now I can’t live without it especially when the weather starts to get reliably sunny and warm. Even though they (or perhaps exactly because they) leave you with sticky fingers, Bakewells are an outside-with-your-sunglasses-on kind of dessert to me. They summon a cartoon like image of a line of ants marching along a red and white gingham picnic blanket, trying to get in on the action. (In the best way possible, I know one doesn’t generally enjoy having ants at their picnic.)

My tart pan doesn’t get a lot of use around here, if I’m honest. I haven’t gotten in to making pastry on a regular basis and it’s one of those things that you need to be in the practice of for it to be really good, I think. So when I ran across Jane’s recipe for Bakewell Blondies I was immediately sold on the idea I could have the dessert payoff I was looking for without having to make pastry. Huzzah!

I haven’t changed a thing. She had me from “melted butter” especially because I’m terrible at leaving things out to come up to room temp. The ground almonds in the batter make a difference in the texture of the blondie but if you’re really going for the almond flavor I highly recommend you add the almond extract. It makes it. Once you’ve made them you really do want to put them in the fridge overnight. I know that is difficult but think of it as a treat you’re giving to your future self and imagine how easy it will be to get out of bed the next morning knowing you’re going to have one for breakfast. Bakewell blondies for breakfast? Of course! They have jam in them and that absolutely counts.

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16 in a 9×9 pan

20 minutes prep, up to 40 minutes bake, overnight chill

Ingredients

250 g unsalted butter (melted)

125 g white granulated sugar

125 g light brown sugar

3 medium eggs

1 tsp almond extract

100 g ground almonds

200 g plain flour

1 tbsp cornflour

200 g white chocolate (chips or chopped up bars both work)

250 g raspberry jam

50 g flaked almonds

Instructions

Line your 9x9in square tin with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan.

Put the MELTED BUTTER, WHITE SUGAR and BROWN SUGAR into a large bowl and mix until smooth. You can do this whole recipe with just a spoon but a hand mixer will give you some more power in the next step.

Add the EGGS and ALMOND EXTRACT and beat until smooth and fluffy.

Add the FLOUR, GROUND ALMONDS and CORNFLOUR and beat again until smooth.

Add in your WHITE CHOCOLATE and fold through the batter.

Spoon the batter into your prepared tin and spread to even the top. Add dollops of RASPBERRY JAM around the top and then lightly swirl it through the batter.

Sprinkle your FLAKED ALMONDS over the top to finish.

Put in the oven and bake until the sides are golden and the middle has “an ever so slight wobble in the middle” as Jane says. Start checking at 25 minutes but in my oven it took 40 minutes.

It will be torture but let them cool in the pan before you cut them. For extra points, leave them in the fridge overnight and have them for breakfast in the morning!