Rhubarb, lemon and white chocolate blondies
Move over crumble
It has been my goal since getting a garden and starting TWP to create recipes using home-grown ingredients. And so today, I am proud as punch to share my rhubarb, lemon and white chocolate blondies stuffed with pink stuff from our very own patch. Whether you have a supply of rhubarb or buy it in, you won’t regret ditching the crumble and making these lemon-and-ginger-spiked, butterscotch-sweet and jammy slabs of moreish-ness. My rhubarb and white chocolate blondies don’t require much in the way of kitchen equipment - sometimes it’s nice to get back to basics with a big bowl and wooden spoon, right? - and if you’re lucky, you’ll get a little rhubarb syrup, ideal mixed with soda or drizzled over ice cream, as a tasty byproduct.
Makes 8 bars
110g rhubarb, cut into chunks
100g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp ground ginger
120g plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
100g unsalted butter
200g light brown sugar
1 large egg
80g white chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp milk (optional)
Firstly, roast the rhubarb. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and arrange the rhubarb chunks in one layer. Then pour all of the caster sugar over them so they’re evenly, and almost entirely, covered. Bake for 15 minutes until the rhubarb is soft. Set aside to cool but leave the oven on.
Next, make the blondie mixture by mixing the flour, ginger, lemon zest and salt in a medium-sized bowl and creaming the light brown sugar and butter together until combined in a larger bowl. Add the egg to your sugar-butter mixture and stir until silky. Then, tip the flour mixture and the chocolate into the sugar-butter-egg mixture and fold in gently. Don’t over-mix! If the mixture is too thick, add a little milk to loosen it. The consistency isn’t exactly pourable but it shouldn’t be stiff either - a juicy batter is best.
Line a brownie tin (mine’s 20cm) with baking paper and spoon the blondie mixture into it, using a spatula to press it into the corners and ensure it’s evenly spread.
Arrange the cooled roasted rhubarb chunks across the blondie mixture - and remember to save any cooking syrup! - then bake for 20 minutes. If it’s still wobbly or a bit pale go for 5 more, but generally 20 is plenty for a fudgy result.
Let your rhubarb and white chocolate blondies cool completely in the tin, then lift out and slice.
