Sticky Pecan Shortbread Bar

By janicecraig

Gasparilla Party food

Ingredients

• Crust Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 stick (1/2 cups) unsalted sweet cream butter chilled and cut in pieces
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 Large egg beaten slightly
• Topping Ingredients:
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups of whole pecans roughly chopped (approx. 8 ounces)
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted sweet cream butter chilled and cut in pieces

Details

Adapted from offthesidewalk.com

Preparation

Step 1

I heavily greased a 9 inch square baking pan then cut a piece of aluminum foil to fit the bottom and up two of the sides of the pan (shiny side down) and sprayed it with cooking spray. I later used the foil to lift the bars out of the pan.

In a food processor pulse the 1 ½ cups of flour ~ ¼ cup granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt to blend. Add your chilled butter (I cut mine into pieces about the size of a grape) and pulse until it looks like course breadcrumbs. Add your egg and pulse just enough to form the mixture into a soft dough.

Lightly flour your fingers and pat your dough into the bottom of your lined pan pressing it firmly to the bottom and about ½ an inch to ¾ of an inch up the sides. Pop your pan into the freezer and freeze till firm (15 minutes). Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees!

Remove your pan from the freezer, prick the bottom only with the tines of a fork and bake it 20 – 24 minutes, the shortbread should be slightly brown. Set it aside to cool while you make the pecan topping.

To make the filling for your Sticky Pecan Shortbread Bars in a large saucepan, on top of the stove, bring the second stick of butter, your ¾ cup packed brown sugar and ¼ cup light corn syrup to a boil over HIGH heat whisking it continually so it does not burn. Once it is smooth and boiling lower the heat slightly, being sure to maintain the boil and let it continue to simmer (without stirring) for about 2 minutes until it darkens a little. Take it off the heat and whisk in the ¼ cup heavy cream, the additional ¼ teaspoon salt and your roughly chopped pecans. Spoon this hot pecan topping evenly over your cooled crust using the back of a spoon to move the pecans around, pressing them in slightly so they fit together as tightly as possible. You want to be sure they stick together well after being cut into bars.

Bake the bars in a 375 degree oven for 20-24 minutes until they are bubbly and brown. Remove from the oven, place tray on a wire rack to cool. Once the tray is cool I lift them from the pan using the foil and let them cool further. Once they have completely cooled they can be cut into bars with a sharp serrated knife.

I cut small pieces because they are so rich, I get 24 bars from a 9 x 9 pan.