Serves10 to 12
- Active time:30 min
- Start to finish:2 hr (includes cooling)
December 2005
Loaded with dried fruit, toasted almonds, and bittersweet chocolate, these blondies combine the best of a brownie with what you wish fruitcake could taste like. A terrific addition to any holiday cookie platter, they are also a satisfying stand-alone dessert.
-
1
cup
boiling-hot water
-
1
cup
dried cranberries (5 oz)
-
1
cup
dried tart cherries (5 oz)
-
1
cup
golden rasins (5 oz)
-
2 1/2
cups
all-purpose flour
-
1 1/2
teaspoons
baking soda
-
1
teaspoon
salt
-
3/4
teaspoon
cinnamon
-
2
sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
-
2
cups
sugar
-
3
large eggs
-
1 1/2
teaspoons
vanilla extract
-
1
cup
whole almonds with skins (6 oz), toasted and very coarsely chopped
-
8
oz
fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened; preferably 60 to 70% cacao), coarsely chopped
-
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour baking pan, knocking out excess flour.
-
Pour boiling-hot water over dried fruit in a small bowl and soak 20 minutes, then drain well in a sieve.
-
Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in another bowl.
-
Beat together melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in dried fruit, almonds, and chocolate.
-
Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack. Run a thin knife around edges of pan to loosen blondie, then cut blondie into roughly 3-inch squares.
Cooks’ note: Blondie can be baked (but not cut into squares) 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
