Rhubarb and White Chocolate Blondies: Small dense pale coloured cakes. It’s cousin, the brownie often takes all the glory, but a blondie has an almost butterscotch quality that is so delicious. Rhubarb and White Chocolate Blondies are particularly good. Alongside the chewy sweetness of the white chocolate, the tart lime and rhubarb and the warmth of the spices, these are gorgeous. I actually think these are some of the tastiest things I have ever made. As often is the case, they are also really easy to make.

I can’t, however, take too much credit for the concept. Amy, the lovely proprietor of the charming Duck and Cup Cafe suggested the idea of Rhubarb and White Chocolate Blondies to me, and I was heavily inspired by the Hummingbird High Blog. This, by the way, is a totally charming blog worth a look!

I have trialled these in a few variations, but the feedback has been universally positive. I must warn you that they are addictive. I have made them a lot since the first batch. About 6 times in two weeks actually. Rhubarb is full of iron so I was only doing it for medicinal reasons…ahem….anyway…..

I am so obsessed with this recipe that I made it at a food demonstration that I did at the Tullow Agricultural Show a few weeks ago. The lovely Oonagh Barrett, the fellow Great Irish Bake Off contestant of Oonagh’s Kitchen kindly recommended me to the show. I was delighted to be demonstrating alongside Darina of Darina’s Delicious Delights who did some beautiful sugar craft. It was a great day! Lovely people, lots of different tents and stalls, and a great sense of community. I also had a headset…what more could a girl want? I also showed off my new toffee pop recipe which will be up on the blog soon! I feel very lucky to get to bake at events like this, it really is great to meet with people and share my love of baking.

The only bit of faffing with this recipe is roasting the rhubarb before you put it on top of the blondie base. If you don’t the rhubarb leaks out a lot of juice that makes everything a bit soggy. I generally just let it roast while I am making the rest of the mix so it isn’t too much of a bother. This is refreshingly different way of using up the excesses of rhubarb from the garden.

I am, in general, all about letting food shine as it is naturally, without artificial adornment. However, even I would forgive adding a little pink food colouring to your rhubarb if it is very green. Mix the colouring with the sugar you add for roasting so that you can sprinkle it evenly over the rhubarb.

Ingredients

Rhubarb Topping

• 350 grams of rhubarb (about 3 fat stalks)
• Zest of a lime
• 30 grams of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of fresh grated or ground ginger

Blondie base

• 150 grams of flour
• 200 grams of white chocolate (some of this is to sprinkle on top)
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon of coarse salt (or half a teaspoon of free flowing salt)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of flour
• 115 grams of unsalted butter
• 100 grams soft brown sugar
• 65 grams granulated sugar
• 1 egg

 

Method

I am going to talk you through the method exactly as I do it!

1. Set the oven to 200 degrees celsius.
2. While it is heating, clean and slice the rhubarb. If it is skinny rhubarb slice it in half to one inch slices, otherwise for fat stalks a couple a quarter of an inch is a good size. A variety of slices looks fine, and slicing a little diagonally gives a nice finish.
3. Toss the rhubarb with the ginger, lime zest and sugar and leave it to sit for 5 minutes.
4. Pop it in the oven for about ten minutes, until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Turn the oven down to 180 degrees celcius.
6. Leave it to sit and cool.

7. While the rhubarb is cooling, put the butter in a small pan over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt but continue cooking and stirring until it looks foamy, smells nutty and there are little golden brown solids floating in the butter or sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. Leave it to one side to cool.
8. Now, line your tin. An 8 inch square tin is perfect, but any similar sized tin will work fine. An extra smear of butter on the paper will guarantee it doesn’t stick.
9. Chop up your white chocolate if you are using a bar.

All the mixing starts now!

10. Mix the flour, spices and salt together. I use a whisk.
11. Add the sugar and vanilla extract to the butter and stir until combined.
12. The butter sugar mixture needs to be fairly cool before you add the egg so it doesn’t cook. Mix in the egg. This is a lovely mixture to stir, but resist the temptation to keep beating. You don’t want air in this mix.
13. Add the butter/sugar/egg mix to the flour and stir until the batter is still streaked with flour. Add 2/3 of the white chocolate chunks and mix in just enough to combine.

14. Spread the mix out evening in the base of the tin.
15. Scatter over the rhubarb in an even layer .

16. Spread the mix out and top with the rhubarb
17. Mix the white chocolate with the teaspoon of flour (This stops it getting too oily on top) and sprinkle over the top.

18. Pop in the oven for 40 – 45 minutes.

The rhubarb is very moist on top so it is hard to see if it is cooked, but 40 minutes and leaving it to cool in the tin normally works for me.

The white chocolate can brown a bit, so pop parchment paper on top if you notice this happening (and it bothers you!)
Slice into squares once cooled and enjoy!

A cooks perk is the juices left behind by the rhubarb and lime. Treat it as a tasty rhubarb and lime cordial. Add water and ice, and sip while the blondies bake!