Hazelnut Blondies

These delicious blondies are the perfect desert or snack for any summer party. The crunch of the hazelnut breaks through the sweetness of the white chocolate. Any fresh fruit such as strawberries or cherries work perfectly with the blondies.

Ingredients:

250g unsalted butter

130g white chocolate

185g plain flour

110g caster sugar

190g soft brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

75g roasted chopped hazelnuts

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

50g milk chocolate (to decorate)

Method:

First, preheat an oven to 180 degrees C, grease a 20x20cm tin with butter and line with baking paper. To start the batter, melt the white chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Once they have completely melted, leave to cool for 20 minutes or until cool to the touch. Meanwhile, whip the eggs and both sugars with an electric whisk for 2-3 minutes or until a lot lighter in colour and the beaters leave trails in the batter. Add the vanilla to the white chocolate and butter mixture (it may have separated - don't panic, just whisk together to combine). Then, add the white chocolate and butter mixture to the egg and sugar mixture and whip to combine, the mixture should turn a darker colour.

Next, fold the flour, baking powder and salt into the batter and then add the hazelnuts, ensuring that the mixture is fully combined. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level it out with a flat bladed knife. Then, melt the milk chocolate in the microwave in 10 second bursts, so as not to burn the chocolate. Take the melted chocolate and put it in small piles on top of the batter. Using a fork, swirl and marble the chocolate around in the batter but don't overdo it as you will end up combining the chocolate with the batter. Bake the batter in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave them to cool and cut up into 16 blondies, then serve!