Déjà Vu Blondies

Butterscotch Blondies with

Chocolate Chips and Dried Cranberries

from Sweet Freedom

These are a favorite dessert in our house. They are rich-tasting, chewy, and the combination of rice syrup and maple syrup mimics a butterscotch flavor extremely well. Use the suggested cranberries and chocolate chips, or any of the variations, below.

1 cup (140 g) light spelt flour

3/4 cup (90 g) barley flour

1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda

1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt

1/3 cup (80 ml) brown rice syrup

1/3 cup (80 ml) pure maple syrup

1/3 cup (80 ml) sunflower or other light-tasting oil, preferably organic

1 Tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp (1 ml) rum or butterscotch flavoring  (optional)

1/2 cup (100 g) non-dairy chocolate chips

1/3 cup dried tart cherries (45 g) or cranberries (40 g)

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line an 8” (20 cm) square pan with parchment paper, or grease well and then flour the pan (flouring is essential, as the blondies tend to stick to the bottom of the pan without the parchment).

In a medium bowl, sift together the spelt flour, barley flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown rice syrup, maple syrup, oil, vanilla and flavoring (if using) until well blended. Gently stir in the chips and cherries.

Pour the dry mixture over the wet and stir to blend. You will have a fairly thick and sticky batter. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, rotating pan about halfway through, until a tester inserted in the center comes out just barely clean (a moist crumb or two is fine). Take care not to overbake, or these will dry out! The batter will fall a little as it cools; this is as it should be. Allow to cool completely in pan before cutting into squares. Makes 16 squares. May be frozen.

Variations:  use 1/3 cup each pistachios (or nut of choice) and dried cranberries, or replace the cranberries with raisins and add about 2 tsp (10 ml) freshly grated orange zest.

© 2009 Ricki Heller