Hi everyone! Remember me?

It has been a long time between posts. The past two months have been dedicated solely to the production of my new cookbook, due for release in Australia with Plum Books (Pan Macmillan) in Spring 2016. During this time, my house has been turned upside down, at times resembling a prop studio, and, at other times, a total bombsite. But the upheaval has all been worth it. We wrapped up shooting last weekend here in Brooklyn with my A-team Luisa Brimble and Erika Raxworthy, who flew in from Sydney and London respectively to work on this project. And the results….well, I may be biased, but the photographs are pretty magical. I will post more about the cookbook and shoot down the track, but I think COMMUNITY fans will find themselves falling in love all over again with the images in the new book. Can't wait to share this new book with everyone!

This week’s post should really be titled “I HEART PEANUT BUTTER” – because it is one of my favourite things in the world. My affection for peanut butter permeates all areas of my cooking, from baking, to sandwich-making and smoothie-making, culminating in peanut butter-imbued salads. My superstar salad, Peanut Ginger Kale with Quinoa and Tofu, is a Asian-skewed peanut butter dish which still goes down as one of the most popular salads on the back of my Arthur Street Kitchen bike.

The peanut butter culture here in the United States is staggering. With most schools in Australia ‘peanut-free zones’, I was surprised to find ‘Peanut Butter & Jelly’ sandwiches on the menu every day for school lunch. In the supermarket aisles, peanut butter flavours everything from cereals, ice cream, pretzels, crackers, cakes and chocolate. As a peanut butter tragic, I am one happy lady. This salted peanut butter and chocolate blondie is inspired by Reese Cups and is perfect with a cup of tea.

Salted Peanut Butter and Chocolate Blondie

Makes 12 squares

180g (1¼ cups) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
113g (1 stick) butter, melted
180g (¾ cup) crunchy peanut butter
300g (1½ cups) brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup dark chocolate (buttons or bits are fine)
Sea salt flakes (Maldon is best)

Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper

In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk together to combine.

In a medium saucepan, melt the peanut butter with the butter. Once melted, allow to cool slightly. Then add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract and stir to combine.

Fold the dry ingredients and the dark chocolate into the wet mixture, and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Bake for 25 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cut into 12 squares.