San Saba Lemon & Raspberry Pecan Blondies

Oh my goodness!  I've been having fun in the kitchen developing recipes for some of my favorite products.  I recently made a cheesecake with The Great San Saba River Pecan Company Peach Pecan Amaretto preserves.  Well... just so happens, they also have a Raspberry Pecan preserve, so I just couldn't leave that alone. 

These blondies have a substantial enough bottom layer to support the soft, gooey top layer!

I started by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees and preparing a 9 x 13 glass baking dish by spraying it generously with non-stick cooking spray.

Here's the ingredient list:

1  18.25 oz. box Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix
3  eggs, at room temperature (divided use)
1/2  stick melted butter
1  tablespoon water
1  tablespoon lemon juice
1  11 oz. jar Raspberry Pecan Preserves  (divided use)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I used cinnamon coated but plain is fine)
1  14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1  teaspoon vanilla

Combine the cake mix, 1 egg, melted butter, water, and lemon juice in a large bowl.  Use a pastry cutter or fork to break the egg up and get most of the cake mix moistened, then just get in there with your clean hands and continue mixing until you can form a ball of dough.

                             

Then press the dough mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven, leaving the oven on at 350 degrees.  Next, place the entire jar of preserves into a small bowl and remove 1/3 cup of them and set aside (no need to whisk  or warm up). Whisk  the larger portion to loosen to a easily spreadable stage.  Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, you may need to heat the preserves.  If so, you can warm them in a saucepan over low heat or microwave them at 50 % power until just liquid enough to spread easily over the dough, but this probably won't be necessary. 

 

 

Spread the preserves over the dough and sprinkle with chopped pecans as shown.

 

 

Next, combine the condensed milk, 2 remaining eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl and mix at medium speed until smooth.  The mixture will be thin and bubbly on top. Slowly pour it over the top of the preserves/pecan mixture.  Some of the preserves and pecans will show through. 

 

 

Next, drop spoonfuls of the preserves you set aside onto the milk mixture and then gently swirl it a bit using the tip of a butter knife.

Here's what it looks like prior to swirling!
 

Now, return it to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until it is set.  The top should be nicely browned and it will still have a slight jiggle to it.  It will firm up as it cools!

Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.  I chose to loosen it around the edges of the pan and remove it to my cutting board to cut into squares, but you can just cut it in the baking dish if you prefer.  Use a sharp serrated knife to cut them with for best results.

Optional:  Dust with powdered sugar after cutting.

 

These are so delish!  Now I just need a nice hot cup of coffee and it's a good start to a great day!