Cranberry blondies

Makes 25 small or 9 large

Like many gentlemen I've always preferred blondies to brownies. In her new book, Good Cooking (Quadrille, £18.99), Jill Dupleix has a great recipe for the alternative chocolate brownie. They're made with white chocolate and she adds cranberries to give that touch of pink that suits blondes so well.

200g butter, plus extra for tin
300g good quality white chocolate, chopped
3 medium eggs
150g caster sugar
1/2tsp pure vanilla extract
200g plain flour
Pinch of salt
1tbsp grated orange zest
100g dried cranberries
Icing sugar for dusting

Heat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Lightly butter an 18 x 28cm baking tin and line the base with greaseproof paper. In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the butter with 150g of the white chocolate, whisking well until smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together until pale. Beat in the melted white chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour and salt, then the remaining chopped chocolate, orange zest and the 75g of the cranberries. Pour into the baking tin and strew the rest of the cranberries on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is firm and the inside is still a bit soft. Leave to cool in the tin. Cut into small or large squares, dust with icing sugar and serve. Great with vanilla ice cream.