White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies

Macadamia nuts are so expensive unless you live in Hawaii or have the connections. I love it when my parents send me a bag to eat or to bake with. I am once again making white sweets with these blondies. Blondies are like brownies but not brown. They are moist and chewy, a cookie in bar form. Some baking lessons I've learned from this project are how to toast macadamia nuts, the difference between blondies and cookies, how not to burn the sides but to brown the bottom, how to cut white chocolate into chunks rather than shavings. I hear the tropical breezes calling.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies

Inspired by the recipe from Exclusively Food

100 g butter

1/8 tsp. salt

200 g white chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

2/3 cup macadamia nuts

200 g white chocolate, cut into small chunks

1/2 cup caster sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Prepare an 8x8 baking pan by lining the sides with foil and the bottom with parchment paper. This prevents burning of the sides but browning of the bottom. Toast the macadamia nuts in a pan over low heat until fragrant stirring occasionally. Cool and slice in halves or quarters. I found quarters were kind of small and hard to taste the mac nut flavor.

2. To chop the white chocolate finely, use a large serrated chef's knife. Start at a corner and cut in a rocking motion for shards and shavings. To cut white chocolate into chunks, heat the block in microwave for 10 seconds. This will make it easier to cut it into small blocks. Preheat oven to 340 degrees F.

3. Melt butter and finely chopped white chocolate in large saucepan. Stir in 1/8 tsp. salt. Stir over low heat until melted. Remove and cool for 5 minutes.

4. In a medium bowl mix together flour, baking powder, 1/8 tsp. salt, macadamia nuts, and white chocolate chunks.

5. Stir the sugar into melted chocolate. Whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined.

6. Fold the flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture. Mix just until combined.

7. Spread into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Test with a toothpick at 30 minutes. When it is ready it will be golden brown and puffed. Do not overbake or it will be dry.

8. Let blondies cool completely in pan. Slice and serve. May be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the fridge but bring to room temperature before serving.