BUTTERSCOTCH BEAUTIES

A truly tremendous traybake to try.

LOVE a traybake? Here’s one that ticks all the boxes. These are a cross between brownies and white chocolate blondies, with toffee, chocolate chips, nuts and a gooey caramel topping. Trust us, one square will not be enough! Recipe taken from Brownies, Blondies & Other Traybakes, published by Ryland Peters & Small, out now. Recipe by Annie Rigg, photography by Laura Edwards.

You’ll need

75g pecans 225g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1⁄2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 150g butter, softened 150g light muscovado sugar 100g unrefined sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 50g chocolate chips 75g toffees, chopped

CARAMEL TOPPING: 150g sugar 150ml double cream 200g butter, softened

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/ gas mark 3/325F. 2. Grease and line a 20x30cm baking pan. Tip the pecans on to a separate baking sheet and lightly toast in the preheated oven for five minutes. Roughly chop and leave to cool. 3. In a bowl sift flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Add a pinch of salt. 4. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until pale and light. Slowly add eggs, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Fold the sifted dry ingredients into the bowl until well incorporated. Stir in the chocolate, pecans and toffees. 5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking pan, spread level and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 minutes. Leave to cool in the pan. 6. For the caramel topping, put the sugar and 1 tbsp of water in a small, heavy-based pan over a low–medium heat. Let the sugar dissolve without stirring. Raise the heat and continue to cook until sugar turns deep amber colour. 7. Remove from the heat and add cream – the mix will bubble and harden, but stir to melt the caramel into the cream. Leave until cold. 8. Beat butter until light and fluffy, then add the cold caramel in a steady stream and stir until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. 9. Remove the brownies from the pan and cut into portions. 10. Spoon the caramel topping into a piping bag and pipe a generous swirl on top of each brownie, or spoon on.