Chock-Full Blondie Squares

Ingredients

• 1.5 teaspoons baking soda 
• 8 oz bittersweet chocolate unsweetened 70% coarsely chopped (not ; preferably 60 to cacao)
• 5 oz cherries dried
• 0.8 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 5 oz cranberries dried
• 3 large eggs 
• 2.5 cups flour all-purpose
• 5 oz golden raisins 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 1 cup butter unsalted cooled melted
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla 
• 1 cup water 
• 1 cup almonds whole with skins (6 oz), toasted and very coarsely chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• oven
• knife
• sieve
• plastic wrap
• baking pan
• hand mixer
• skewers

Directions

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour baking pan, knocking out excess flour.
2. Pour boiling-hot water over dried fruit in a small bowl and soak 20 minutes, then drain well in a sieve.
3. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in another bowl.
4. Beat together melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Mix in dried fruit, almonds, and chocolate.
6. Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack. Run a thin knife around edges of pan to loosen blondie, then cut blondie into roughly 3-inch squares.
7. Blondie can be baked (but not cut into squares) 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.