Roasted strawberry tahini blondies

I was recently listening to an episode of The Recipe, a podcast by Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen and J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, where Deb was discussing blondies as the ultimate versatile treat to prepare for group gatherings. It has been quite some time since I had a blondie and I all but forgot about their existence. I recall having classic blondies with chocolate chips at the occasional party but that’s about it. With blondies serving as such a blank canvas, it seemed like the perfect time to try out a new flavor combination and have a bit more fun with it.

These roasted strawberry tahini blondies bring bold flavors to the traditional blondie. The result is a slightly chewy bar with a nutty flavor from the tahini brightened up with sweet bites of roasted strawberry. Roasting is one of my favorite methods for preparing strawberries, because it results in a concentrated strawberry flavor, regardless of how sweet your original strawberries were. It also draws out moisture from the strawberries, allowing you to effectively add them to a batter without creating a soupy mess. The slight bitterness from the tahini balances out the added sweetness from the strawberries and adds a rich creaminess to the blondies.

While testing this recipe, I came across a few important tips for success when baking blondies. The first is to ensure that the ingredients are well mixed and aerated. For best results, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip air into the wet ingredients before folding in the dry ingredients. This is the key for achieving the proper structure–if the ingredients are undermixed, you may have a very dense and gooey blondie that falls apart easily. The second is to be careful not to overcook the batter–the blondies are ready when the edges are fully set, the center has puffed up, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes up with a few crumbs.

Roasted strawberry tahini blondies

Recipe by MoniqueCourse: Cookies and barsDifficulty: Baking session

Yields

1

8×8 tray of bars

Prep time

30

minutes

Bake time

90

minutes

These roasted strawberry tahini blondies are chewy and nutty, with speckles of sweet roasted strawberries. They are the perfect springtime treat.

Ingredients

• For the strawberries

• 1 lb of strawberries, hulled and quartered

• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper

• For the blondies

• 1/3 cup of butter, melted and slightly cooled

• 1 cup (215g) tightly packed light brown sugar

• 1/3 cup tahini

• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1 cup (125g) all purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

• Roast the strawberries
• Preheat the oven to 250F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place the quartered strawberries on the baking sheet and add the sugar, lemon juice, and black pepper. Mix together until the strawberries are evenly coated.
• Spread the strawberries into an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for approximately one hour, or until the juices have been released from the strawberries and reduced to a thick syrup. Stir once or twice while baking. Transfer strawberries and their juices into a container and let cool completely.
• Prepare the blondie batter
• Preheat the oven to 350F. Add the melted butter and brown sugar to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the tahini. Once fully incorporated, add the eggs and vanilla, continuing to beat for another 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and ribbony.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, black pepper, and salt. Pour this into the liquid ingredients and stir together with a spoon until there are no visible flour patches. Stir in the roasted strawberries just until combined.
• Butter an 8×8″ pan and line with parchment. For the best texture, use a metal pan. Pour the batter into the pan, smoothing out the top. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the edges are set, the center has puffed up, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes up with only a few crumbs (it should not be completely clean). Let cool completely, cut into squares, and serve.

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