Hot Cross Blondies
100g raisins
Zest and juice 1 lemon
25ml PX sherry or orange juice
150g butter
150g white chocolate, chopped
200g plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
120g soft brown sugar
120g castor sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Line a square cake, approximately 20cm, tin with parchment paper and set oven to 180oc. Soak the raisins in the lemon and sherry for an hour at least. Melt the butter and cook until nutty and brown – about 4 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and mix in 100g of the white chocolate. Beat the sugars with the eggs until pale and then fold in the chocolate and butter mixture. Mix in the flour, baking powder and spices. Fold in the raisin mixture and remaining chopped chocolate. Spoon into the tin.
Cross topping
3 tablespoons plain flour
Mix the flour with water to make a thick and smooth paste. Place in a plastic piping bag or plastic bag and cut a small hole. Pipe onto the surface of the blondie in a grid.
Bake for about 30 minutes – golden on top but still a little sticky in the middle. Cool for an hour before cutting into squares with the cross in the middle.
