Tahini, Brown Butter & Sea Salt Blondies

In the Summer of 2021, I made and ate my first Blondie. I mean, I literally have no idea how I have lived four decades of my life without knowing these tasty morsels. Needless to say, life has never been the same since! These are utterly moreish with gooey tahini mixed with sweet white chocolate and a burst of saltiness.

Serves 16

Preparation & Baking Time: 1.5-2 hours, overnight chill

Grease and line a 20cm square baking tin and pre-heat your oven to 160c Fan.

Ingredients

150g Chocolate (I used M&S Golden Blonde chocolate)

125g Salted Butter

100g Light Brown Sugar

100g Golden Caster Sugar

3 Large Eggs

130g Tahini

2 Tsp Vanilla

85g Plain Flour

150g White Chocolate chunks (I use Callebaut)

1/2 Tsp Sea Salt

1/2 Tbsp Black Sesame Seeds

How I made the Blondies

1. First, put the 150g of Blonde chocolate chunks into a bowl and melt over a pot of boiling water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water. Melt over a slow heat.

2. Separately, gently melt the butter in a large saucepan, over a medium heat. When melted, turn up the heat and let the milk solids caramelise and turn brown (watch it, so that it doesn't burn!). When it smells nutty, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the light brown and golden caster sugars until combined. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the melted Blonde chocolate, tahini and vanilla.

3. Gently stir the flour into the butter mixture and most (not all!) of the white chocolate chunks, until combined.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle the remaining white chocolate chunks on the top of the mixture as well as the sea salt and black sesame seeds.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the Blondies have a golden crust, but are still fudge and moist in the middle.

6. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin to cool on a wire rack. Once cool, chill for up to 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.

7. Cut into 16 squares. Option to drizzle with some tahini and more sesame seeds over the squares before serving.

8. Goes extremely well with a nice cup of tea!