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

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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!