Apple Strudel Blondies
Time
Prep time: 45 minutes. Baking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty
easy
Serves
9-12
Spice up your autumn baking with these blondies from Jessie Bakes Cakes. Packed with warming spices, sweet apple and buttery pastry flavours they’re the perfect seasonal treat.
INGREDIENTS
For the blondies
250 grams Unsalted butter
3 medium Apples (I used Granny Smith Apples)
1 tablespoon Ground cinnamon
300 grams Light brown sugar
3 medium Eggs (room temp)
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
300 grams Plain flour
3 tablespoons Whittard Apple Strudel Hot Chocolate
½ teaspoon Salt
For the salted caramel sauce
60 millilitres Water
100 grams Caster sugar
120 millilitres Double cream (room temp)
0.5 teaspoon Salt
METHOD
Start by making the blondies:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C conventional. Line a 20cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper.
- Start by browning the butter. Measure the butter into a saucepan and place over medium heat, stirring until the butter has melted. Continue to heat for another 4-5 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally, until the melted butter is foamy on top, a golden amber colour beneath and has a nutty aroma. Pour the brown butter into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the spiced apples. Core, peel and cut the apples into thin slices. Place into a glass mixing bowl and add the cinnamon and 4 tablespoons of water. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and microwave for 60 seconds or until the apple has softened and smells fragrant. Set aside for now.
- Return to the brown butter. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Add the Whittard Apple Strudel Hot Chocolate, flour and salt. Fold together until the blondie mixture is smooth and combined.
- Spread half of the mixture into the baking tin and smooth out the top. Layer the spiced apple slices on top, followed by the remaining blondie mixture.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 30-35 minutes. Leave to cool completely in the baking tin (2 hours in the fridge or 4 hours at room temperature). You can also cover the baking tin with foil and leave the blondes overnight.
To make the salted caramel sauce:
- In a large saucepan, stir the water and sugar together.
- Place the pan over low heat and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Do not stir, only swirl the pan from time to time. The mixture will slowly thicken and turn from clear, to light brown, to dark golden brown. This process can take anywhere between 10-20 minutes.
- As soon as the sugar mixture is a dark amber brown, remove the pan from the heat and pour in the cream. Stir continuously until the caramel is smooth and glossy. Stir in the salt and then pour into a jar to cool and thicken.
- Drizzle the blondies in the salted caramel sauce, slice and enjoy!
For the Blondies:
250g Unsalted butter
3 medium Apples (Granny Smith)
1 tbsp Ground cinnamon
300g Light brown sugar
3 medium Eggs (room temp)
1 tsp Vanilla extract
300g Plain flour
3 tbsps Whittard Apple Strudel Hot Chocolate
½ tsp Salt
For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
60ml Water
100g Caster sugar
120ml Double cream (room temp)
½ tsp Salt
For the Blondies:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C conventional. Line a 20cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Keep heating for 4-5 minutes, stirring until foamy and golden brown with a nutty aroma. Pour into a mixing bowl and cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, peel, core, and slice the apples thinly. Add cinnamon and 4 tablespoons of water, then microwave for 60 seconds until soft and fragrant. Set aside.
- Stir the brown butter with sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Fold in the Whittard Apple Strudel Hot Chocolate, flour, and salt until the mixture is smooth.
- Spread half of the mixture in the baking tin. Layer with spiced apples, then top with the remaining blondie mixture.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely in the tin (refrigerate for 2 hours or let sit for 4 hours at room temperature).
For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
- Combine water and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Heat until it turns dark amber (10-20 minutes).
- Remove from heat and stir in the cream until smooth and glossy. Add salt, then pour into a jar to cool.
To Serve:
- Drizzle the cooled blondies with salted caramel sauce. Slice and enjoy!
