Oatmeal blondies

This is inspired by Nigel Slater's white chocolate and cherry blondies. Highly irresistible moments after coming out of the oven, slightly warm, when you have a freshly brewed tea waiting on the side already.

Oatmeal blondies

- 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature

- 1/2 tsp sea salt

- 2/3 cup light brown sugar

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 1 egg

- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder (optional)
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

- 50 g dark chocolate chips

- 1/2-1 cup dried cherries

- whole pecan halves

Preheat oven to 175C. Line a 20-cm square baking pan with non-stick baking paper, leaving a 5-cm overhang on both slides.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sea salt, brown sugar and vanilla extract until well incorporated. Mix in the egg and beat the mixture until light and fluffy.

Sift flour and baking powder into the butter mixture. Stir to combine. Mix in oats, chocolate chips and cherries. Use a rubber spatula to mix everything thoroughly and gently. Scrape the mixture out onto the baking pan. Even the top with your rubber spatula. Some patience is required. Finally, decorate the top with pecan halves. Press the pecan halves slightly into the mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan 30 minutes. Using overhang, transfer blondie (still on paper) to a wire rack to cool completely.