Love peanut butter? Then you're going to love these little squares of pure, unadulterated joy (and nine billion calories, but what can you do?)
I’ve been alive for 47 years but among other edible goods such as kebabs, chicken from a high street chicken shop or a plate of kidneys, have never tried a blondie. I’ve not got a particularly sweet tooth, so anything with white chocolate in it makes me do an internal barf. I can’t even eat regular chocolate unless it’s been in the fridge because I find it too sickly, but I do LOVE peanut butter. I’ve always said that if I’m ever in a coma, wave a piece of toast with crunchy peanut butter on it under my nose and I’ll probably jolt right out of it.
It was with some trepidation, however, that I said ‘Yes please,’ to the offer of trying these when my friend Christine made them a couple of weeks ago, because of the white chocolate situation. She uses Rachel Allen’s recipe, but with a couple of changes – changing all peanut butter to half almond butter, half peanut butter and rather than chop up a bar of white chocolate, she uses white chocolate chips. You can buy big tubs of organic almond butter and peanut butter from most supermarkets and I’d recommend doing that to save a bit of money – it’s much more economical if you make these often. Anyway, I tried them and guess what? I've got a new addiction on top of my basic peanut butter one. Doh!
If, like me, you prefer dark chocolate to white, I fancy that dark chocolate chips with the peanut/almond butter combo would also be pretty magical. I’m going to try that version soon and will report back.
This recipe makes 12 squares according to the recipe. It could also be interpreted as making one big square which you take to the bathroom as soon as it’s cooled down and eat it alone, with pleasure, and without apology if you’ve had a particularly rough week:
INGREDIENTS
125g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
100g butter, softened
150g crunchy peanut butter (Christine substitutes peanut butter with almond butter or does a 50/50 mix)
175g soft light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
75g white chocolate, chopped (Christine uses white chocolate chips, Christine is smart)
METHOD
1. Pre-heat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas Mark 3 and line and grease a 20 x 20cm square cake tin. Soften the butter for 10 seconds in the microwave or take it out of the fridge the night before you want to make these
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and set aside 3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and peanut/almond butter together until very soft. Try not to worry about the calories at this stage, you’re meant to be enjoying yourself.
4. Add the sugar, egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Slowly add the flour, baking powder and the chopped chocolate/chocolate chips and mix to form a dough
5. Place the dough in the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and almost firm in the centre. Give it a little press in the middle after 25 minutes and when it bounces back like a mattress, they’re done
4. Allow to cool in the tin, which I know is really difficult but if you don’t you’ll make a mess and burn your fingers. Maybe hum a little tune while you're doing - I like to sing MC Hammer's 'You Can't Touch This' on a loop until it's cooled down. If your family or friends have done your head in and don’t deserve any, cover the tin with a tea towel, shove it under the bed for later and cook some kippers to hide the smell* * this is solely my advice, not Rachel Allen’s. Or Christine’s, for that matter