Strawberry-Filled White Chocolate Blondies

I cut this recipe out of the November 2006 issue of Southern Living and made it once.  I put a few notes on the recipe and tucked it away in my "keep" file for later.  Well, here it is, five years later and I still love this recipe.

I mixed it up a bit and opted for a strawberry filling since we're approaching their peak season.  However, you can certainly be creative with your flavor of filling or nuts topping.  

A note from my hips....Beware: these are dangerously good.  

(Recipe adapted from Southern Living) 

Ingredients

Prep: 15 min., Cook: 5 min., Bake: 45 min.

Yield: Makes 16 bars

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  butter
• 1  (12-oz.) package white chocolate morsels, divided
• 2  large eggs
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  almond extract
• 1  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 3/4  cup  strawberry preserves
• 1/3  cup  sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/2  cup  sliced almonds

Preparation

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring just until melted. Remove pan from heat, and add 1 cup  of the white chocolate morsels. (Do not stir.)

2. Beat eggs at high speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Stir in white chocolate mixture and almond extract, stirring until blended. Add flour and salt, stirring just until blended. Spread half of batter into a lightly greased and floured 8-inch square pan.

3. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

4. Melt 3/4 cup strawberry preserves in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring often. Spread evenly over partially baked blondies in pan. Stir together coconut, remaining 1 cup white chocolate morsels, and remaining half of batter; spread over melted cherry preserves, spreading to edges of pan. Sprinkle batter with 1/3 cup sliced almonds.

5. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.