New Year, New Start

So I know I've been a horribly bad blogger since finishing the course at the School of Artisan Food, & for this I can only apologise...

I didn't realise how absorbing baking as a career could be, & how little time it leaves for absolutely anything else, let alone blogging!

But, I'm now on a well earned holiday, & as well as making a (very) belated New Years Resolution to eat better (& shed a few pounds...), I have also resolved to start blogging again!

The first recipe I'm going to blog about, is from a wonderful book called 'Red Velvet & Chocolate Heartache', by Harry Eastwood.  I got the book for my birthday a few years ago, & haven't made all that much from it, but these little beauties begged to be made, & shared!

So, at the request of a few Twitter followers & Facebook friends, here's the recipe for some properly gorgeous...

White Chocolate, Cinnamon & Raspberry Blondies

Serves 9

Ingredients:

• 3 medium eggs
• 120g caster sugar
• 250g peeled & finely grated butternut squash
• 50g white rice flour
• 100g ground almonds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 150g raspberries
• 100g white chocolate, chopped into small chunks

For The Top: 

• 30g flaked almonds
• A little icing sugar (optional)

You will Need:

• A 22cm square x 5cm deep brownie tin. 

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200˚C (180˚C Fan)/400˚F/gas mark 6. Line the base & sides of the tin with baking parchment. Brush the base & sides of the tin, including parchment, with a little vegetable oil.

Beat the eggs & sugar in a large mixing bowl for 5 minutes until pale, fluffy & quadrupled in volume – needs to be really big & bouffanty! Add the grated butternut squash & beat again, until fully incorporated. Add the flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, baking powder & salt.  Beat until well incorporated.

Pour half the mixture into the tin, then scatter over the raspberries & white chocolate.  Cover with the remaining mixture.

Scatter the flaked almonds over the cake & bake on the top shelf of the oven for 25 minutes until just cooked. (I had my oven at 180˚C & found it needed about 28 mins in total.)

Cool the blondies in the tin for 20 mins, then turn out of the tin, sprinkle with the icing sugar, if using, before cutting into squares.

And this is one of the finished blondies!  I opted not to use the icing sugar in the end.  They're moist, fruity & sweet, & (for those interested), 265 calories per square!  Not the lowest cal count ever, but pretty good for a blondie I think, & besides, the raspberries & butternut squash must count for one of your five a day!

So that's all for tonight, some day I'll tell you all about the Seville Orange & Whisky Marmalade I made the other day  ;)