Sesame and Marshmallow Blondies

with beurre noisette

Blondies are very similar to brownies, but they rely on brown sugar for their flavour. Marshmallow and sesame complement this well, and if you like, you can also add some chocolate chips for a bit of textural crunch. This recipe is rather forgiving in that you can switch in / out the sesame, marshmallow and chocolate chips as it pleases you, so if using all three seems too sweet adapt it to suit your own tastes, or simply go the whole hog! The beurre noisette adds a subtle toasted flavour to draw out the baked sesame seeds.

I chill these in the fridge when I’m storing them, which helps to set them a little whilst still maintaining their gooey texture.

Makes 12 blondies

INGREDIENTS

  • 240g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 30g tahini
  • 2 large eggs
  • 300g light brown sugar
  • pinch of grated vanilla bean
  • 255g soft cake and pastry flour (or plain flour)
  • 1 slightly heaped tsp baking powder
  • pinch of sea salt flakes
  • 150g milk chocolate, chopped into chunks (optional)
  • 40g mini marshmallows
  • 4 tbsp sesame seeds

METHOD

Line a 20x30cm baking dish with baking parchment, and grease the sides with butter.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat to make beurre noisette. Wait for it to foam and separate into liquid and solids, and remove from the heat as soon as the solids start to turn a nutty brown. The butter should have a nutty scent to it. Carefully pour it immediately into a bowl to cool. Stir in the tahini, to allow it to melt into the warm butter and infuse.

Heat your oven to 170°C. Using an electric hand whisk, whisk the eggs, sugar and some grated vanilla bean together until light and creamy. Beat in the butter and tahini mixture until evenly combined.

Using a hand whisk, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl to ensure even distribution of the raising agent, and then fold it into the butter mixture, followed by the marshmallows (and the chocolate chips, if using).

Spread the mixture into your dish and smooth it out on top. Sprinkle the top liberally with sesame seeds. Bake for 25-30 minutes – you want the mixture to be baked through, but still moist and gooey, so keep an eye on it. Allow it to cool in the dish. Once it has set, slice and serve. It will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.