Bake of the Week: How to make Ella Risbridger’s delicious whisky and rye blondies

WRITER and poet Ella Risbridger’s first cookery book is described as Eat Pray Love meets Nigella’s How To Eat, and is packed with delicious finger-licking recipes designed to make you happy.

These Whisky and Rye Blondies are dense and fudgy, with a crackled, sugary crust. According to Ella they are perfect for this time of year – especially a midnight picnic.

You’ll need

200g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

200g golden caster sugar

200g molasses sugar

2 tbsp whisky (or a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

250g rye flour

150g white chocolate

2 tsp flaky sea salt

2 tsp golden stars sugar decorations (optional, but available from most supermarkets)

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180C and butter a brownie tin, about 30cm x 20cm.

Weigh the butter into a large saucepan, and set it over the lowest heat. Melt then brown for about seven minutes. It will go through solid to liquid to foaming to rising to sinking back on itself. Meanwhile, weigh out your sugars separately.

When the butter is a nut-brown colour, add your sugars, golden caster first, and then molasses. Whisk to dissolve the sugar, and simmer over a low heat for a minute. Add whisky or vanilla, and whisk to a smooth, glossy mixture. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for five minutes.

Crack both eggs into the cooled butter and sugar mixture. Whisk until the eggs are thoroughly incorporated, then gently fold in the rye flour.

Break up your white chocolate into little pieces. Quickly stir the chocolate through the batter then decant into the buttered tin, squidging it down into the corners. Scatter with the sea salt, and the gold sugar stars, if using.

Bake for 25 minutes, then leave to cool in the tin. Score into 24 small squares: these are very sweet and very rich. If you can, store in their tin, as they stay fudgier that way – just cover with foil, or lever out half a dozen and wrap in foil.