An Elegant Almond Blondie with a Hint of Masala Chai

This simple one-bowl treat that comes together in minutes but still looks and tastes pretty special. A key ingredient is the Diaspora Co Chai Masala - a blend of cardamom, ginger, fennel, cinnamon, pepper and cloves which not only flavours a favourite hot beverage, but is also perfect for baking. There’s something about this spice blend that somehow enhances the flavour of almonds, but you’ll need to try it to understand what we mean.
.
This almond blondie has a great chewy density, is quick and easy to make, and elegant looking enough to call a tart - at least a double win! Perfect for celebrations of any kind. You can cut it into long elegant fingers and serve alongside a pot of tea, or put wedges on plates with sliced strawberries and a spoonful of softly whipped cream. 

Spiced Almond Tart

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 tsp Diaspora Co Chai Masala
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 cup (135 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sliced almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter.
2. Whisk sugar and butter together in a medium bowl. Add egg and whisk until uniform.
3. Stir in chai masala, almond extract, and salt. Add ground almonds and stir to combine. Add flour and baking powder and stir with a spatula, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until dry ingredients are just incorporated - the batter will be very thick.
4. Scrape batter into prepared pan and sprinkle sliced almonds evenly overtop. Bake cake for 42 min or until tart smells toasty and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool 15 min, then run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen and turn out of pan. Remove parchment paper and let cool fully on a rack or serve warm. Serves 6-8