• Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) for conventional oven, 330 F (165C) for convection oven. Lightly oil 8 x8 inch pan. Line with parchment paper overhanging on the side for easier removal later

Prepare frangipane:

• Beat the softened butter and sugar with a sturdy spatula until creamy. Add eggs, salt, and almond extract and mix again to combine. Add almond flour and stir to combine everything. It will be a paste-like consistency. If you not using on the same day, you can wrap it and chill it in the fridge for 2-3 days. They can be kept frozen for 2-3 months. Simply thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature before using
  

Prepare blondie batter:

• If you don't have black sesame powder, you can use the same amount of black sesame seeds and use a blender to blend them into a fine powder
• Put butter and brown sugar in a pan over medium-low heat. Stir until butter has melted and remove from the heat and continue to whisk for about 30 seconds. Then let it cool off to warm. Add vanilla, egg, black sesame powder and whisk again to combine. Sprinkle in the baking powder and salt and whisk again to combine.
  
• Add the flour and gently fold with a spatula just until you don't see streaks of flour anymore. Do not overmix
  
• The batter will be thick
  
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Spread the frangipane paste on top of the black sesame layer and use an offset spatula to spread it as evenly as you can, edges to edges. Sprinkle some chopped almonds on top
  

Baking:

• Put in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30-34 minutes. The edges will brown and set, but the center will still appear soft and when you insert a toothpick into the center, it should come out with some wet crumbs. Blondies get overbaked very easily. So, if you bake until a toothpick comes out clean at the center, you most likely have overbaked the blondie. They continue to "cook" even after you have pulled it out from the oven.

Cooling down:

• Let the cool down in pan set on a cooling rack completely. Cover and they can be kept at room temperature for 3 days. They taste even better when they are chilled IMHO (I like it extra fudgy and chewy) and the cold temperature seems to do that
  

Storage:

• The black sesame frangipane blondies freeze really well. You can cut them into sizes you want and put them in freezer-friendly container or bag and they can be kept frozen for about 1 month. Simply thaw at room temperature before serving or thaw overnight in the fridge