Raspberry Choc Chip Blondies

So you might notice by all the pink and red in the pictures that these blondies were meant to be a Valentines post. Oops, better late then never! These blondies are too awesome only to be enjoyed on just one particular day anyway. They're seriously my absolute favourite treat, everyone that had one made various Mmmm/yummm sounds while eating and I've been daydreaming about them ever since.

The blondies have a yummy buttery caramel flavour from the brown sugar and are perfectly gooey in the middle and crispy on top. Not only are these tasty squares packed with choc-chips but they're topped with Mms too. If you haven't tried raspberry Mms yet, do it! they're what make these blondies really wow.

 

For the Blondies
225 grams butter (melted)
2 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
2 cups plain flour
230 grams choc chips
100 grams Raspberry Mms (half a bag)

To make the Blondies- Line a 12 x 9 inch baking pan with baking paper and preheat oven to 180 degrees c.

Beat together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth.

Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Stir in the flour and pinch of salt.

Mix through the chocolate chips or filling of your choice.

Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and roughly smooth out.

Finally top the blondie mixture with a sprinkle of raspberry Mms.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until set in the middle.

Allow the blondies to cool before cutting into squares.

Enjoy!!

Slice and bake cookies

This is one of those great time saver recipes, one recipe that make two kinds of cookies, or really as many combinations as you like. I made half mms cookies and half cranberry pistachio, but the recipe would divide well into four for maybe a choc chip version and some cinnamon cookies, so many possibilities. Plus make the cookie dough a day ahead  and it can sit in your fridge ready to slice and bake cookies as you need them. There's nothing that says Christmas more than the smell of baked goods wafting from a house, prepare the dough ahead of time and cut and bake fresh cookies for your friends.

For the Cookies (makes 40)
250 grams butter (softened)

1 1/4 cups icing sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups plain flour

1/2 cup cornflour

2 tablespoons milk

150 grams red and green mms
red and green sanding sugar

1/4 cups dried cranberries (chopped)

1/4 cup pistachios (chopped)

To make the cookies- preheat oven to 160 degrees c.

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. 

Stir in flours in two parts, followed but the milk until dough comes together. 

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half.

Add the mms to one half of the mix and kneed lightly until the dough is smooth.

Spread a mixture or red and green sanding sugar onto a tray and roll the mms log of cookie dough to coat.

Kneed the cranberries and pistachios into the second half of dough.

Roll each half of dough into a 25 cm long log and wrap in cling wrap. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least an hour, until firm.

Cut each length of dough in to 1cm thick disks and lay flat on a lined baking tray about 3cms apart.

Bake the cookies for roughly 20 minutes. Cool cookies on wire racks.