Orange and Hazelnut Blondies

Blondie is trouble and she knows it, hardbaked and loaded with sin. She will have you believe she is good, virtuous even, with talk of biscuity toasted hazelnuts and sweet orange zest. But Blondie is not good, Blondie is very very bad. She will tease you with her honeyed fragrance, bewitch you with her sumptuously soft texture, then corrupt you entirely with her wanton decadence. You can try to resist, many have, but once you feel her caramel caress on your lips, you will never be the same again…

Prep time: 20 Mins

Baking time: 55-60 Mins

150g Unsalted Butter

200g White Chocolate (100g Broken into squares, 100g Roughly Chopped)

175g Light Muscovado Sugar

200g Ground Almonds

1tsp Baking Powder

100g Toasted Hazelnuts (Chopped)

Zest of 1 Orange

3 Large Eggs (Beaten)

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3, grease a 21cm square tin and line with baking paper. Melt together the butter and 100g of white chocolate (broken into squares) over a bain-marie or (carefully) in the microwave, then set to one side to cool for five minutes.

In a large bowl mix together the sugar, almonds and baking powder, along with the chopped hazelnuts, orange zest and 100g of chopped white chocolate. Pour in the melted butter and chocolate, fold through until combined, then do the same with the beaten eggs. Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 55-60 minutes, until golden on top and a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of the sponge. When you are happy it is baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool for 45 minutes in the tin.

Once it has cooled until warn, remove the sponge from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. To serve, slice with a sharp knife into individual blondies. Time to leave your conscience at the door, as they are ready to be shamelessly enjoyed.