Thursday, November 11, 2021

Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies

 

One evening, while I was escaping the doom-and-gloom news during the pandemic by streaming a British mystery series (I think it was Shakespeare and Hathaway), my ears perked up when someone was offered a Jammie Dodger. What a cool name! But what is it? 

I immediately Googled the term on my phone and discovered it’s a cookie—or biscuit in the U.K. Specifically, it’s a vanilla sandwich cookie filled with raspberry jam. I ordered some from a nearby British goods shop (Brits in Lawrence) and liked them very much, though I will admit the “jam” in the middle was more “gummy” than “jammie.” 

Then in a recent email newsletter from The Happy Foodie (put out by Penguin Books in the U.K.), there was a recipe for Jammie Dodger Blondies from the cookbook Finch Bakery by Lauren and Rachel Finch. Of course, I had to make them! 


Amazon provided me with the mini Jammie Dodgers called for in the recipe. I followed the Finch version precisely, which involved under baking the blondies. The recipe said to bake “until the edges are golden brown and the middle still wobbles.” Once cooled, the blondies are chilled in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving, I assumed to firm up the middle. 


I learned a few lessons from that first try. One, the blondies were more flavorful at room temperature than chilled. By adding 5 minutes to the baking time on my next attempt, the bars cooked through but were not too over-done—no chilling necessary.  Also, while the mini Jammie Dodgers on top were cute, they didn’t add to the flavor. Since most of us here in the U.S. don’t keep these cookies in the pantry, I left them off. I also added almond extract to the batter to enhance the white chocolate flavor.


Trust me when I say these blondies are addictive! Mom and I went through a pan in just a few days! The raspberry jam helps to balance the sweetness of the dense, chewy bar. 

Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies will fit right in on a holiday dessert table or as a lovely sweet any time of the year.


Have you ever tried a Jammie Dodger? What did you think? 



Yield: Makes 15 to 18 squares
Author: Linda Ditch
Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies

Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies

A dense, chewy cookie bar with swirls of raspberry jam and filled with white chocolate chips. The recipe was inspired by Jammie Dodger cookies (biscuits) found in the U.K. and a recipe by Lauren and Rachel Finch.

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 3 1/2 ounces white chocolate (I use Ghirardelli)
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons golden syrup (or honey)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 heaped tablespoon (15 g) cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 5 ounces (150 g) white chocolate chips (Again, I use Ghirardelli)
  • Topping:
  • 5 ounces (150 g) raspberry jam (I used Bonne Maman)
  • 1 3/4 ounces (50 g) white chocolate chips
  • 12-15 mini Jammie Dodgers (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8 x 12-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. (An 11x7-inch pan would work, though you may need to adjust the cooking tip a bit.)
  2. In a small microwave-safe dish, melt the butter and chocolate. (Mine took 60 seconds) Stir together to combine, and then set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
  4. Pour the granular and brown sugars into a mixer bowl, and then add the melted butter/chocolate combination. Mix at medium speed for about 1 minute until well combined and smooth. In a separate dish, whisk together the eggs and egg yolk, and then add to the mixer, along with the golden syrup (or honey), vanilla, and almond extract, and mix into the sugar mixture at low speed until combined.
  5. With the mixer still at low speed, slowly pour in the flour mixture. Stir in until just combined (don’t over mix), and then mix in the white chocolate chips.
  6. Pour the mixture into the baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Spoon the jam into a piping bag (or plastic zippered bag). Pipe 6 vertical, evenly-spaced lines on top of the batter. Then using the tip of a knife or a skewer, swirl the jam into the top of the batter. Sprinkle the white chocolate chips over the top, and place the mini Jammie Dodgers over the top (if using.)
  7. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the middle seems just set. (The middle may seem slightly underdone.) Place on a rack to cool completely before cutting.