We were so excited to see this recipe featured on the New York Times homepage, we had to give it a shot ourselves. And we can confidently tell you, these blondies are just as delicious as they look. The combination of nutty pistachios, sweet white chocolate, and floral saffron is complex and comforting at the same time.
* Recipe adapted from the New York Times, written by Priya Krishna.
Original recipe here
Pistachio Saffron Blondies
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Ingredients
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3/4 cup raw, unsalted pistachios (shelled)
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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3/4 tsp kosher salt
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3/4 tsp baking powder
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1 tsp Rumi Coriander seeds, ground
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3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
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1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
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2 large eggs, at room temperature
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1/2 cup white chocolate chips
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1 pinch Rumi Saffron Threads
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1 1/2 Tbsp whole milk
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6 oz. full-fat cream cheese, softened
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1/3 cp unsalted butter, softened
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2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
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1/2 tsp kosher salt
For the bars:
For the saffron frosting:
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on 2 of the sides. Or, heavily grease the baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or melted butter. Set aside.
Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until finely ground (don’t let them get pasty).
Add in the flour, salt, baking powder and coriander and pulse to combine.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth and shiny. Whisk in the eggs until incorporated.
Fold in pistachio mixture using a rubber spatula untiled combined. Gently stir in the white chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer.
Bake until the sides are brown and pull away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-28 minutes. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, making your frosting: Finely grind the saffron threads using a mortar using a pestle. Combine the saffron threads and milk and microwave until the mixture is frothing around the edges but not boiling, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until no clumps remain. Add the confectioners’ sugar and salt and beat again until smooth. Beat in the cooled saffron milk until well-combined. (The frosting will turn a bright golden hue).
Once the bars have cooled completely, spread the frosting evening over top. If desired, top with some crushed pistachios. For easing cutting, refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.
