Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

• portionen: 24 bars
• aktive zeit: 15 minutes
• gesamtzeit: 2 hours 45 minutes

Zutaten

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup pecan halves

1 cup pecan pieces

2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (like Hershey's)

2/3 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup cold butter or vegetable shortening (like Crisco)

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 heaping tablespoon all-purpose flour

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons bourbon, optional

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

Anweisungen

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F to roast the pecans. Toss the pecans with the melted butter and roast on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until fragrant. Remove, sprinkle with salt, toss and transfer to paper towels to cool.

Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, leaving excess hanging over on the ends for handles; butter the foil and set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, whisk together the flour, cocoa and powdered sugar; cut in the cold butter or shortening until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Press into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and slightly up the sides. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes, remove and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Let rest until chips have melted, then use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate evenly on the crust. Set aside to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Once crust has cooled, heat oven to 350 degrees F again.

For the filling, whisk together the brown sugar and flour.

Using a wooden spoon, gently stir in the eggs, corn syrup, vanilla, bourbon and butter by hand.

Stir in the roasted pecans. Pour into the cooled crust.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Let cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour, until cool enough that you can hold the pan in the palm of your hand.

Transfer the pan to the refrigerator to chill for another hour.

Use the aluminum foil to lift out of the baking pan, let rest at room temperature until pliable enough to cut into bars.

Notizen

I cut these into squares and store them in a covered container in the refrigerator, layered with wax paper, and bring them to room temperature before serving. Also good with a cup of shredded, sweetened coconut added along with the pecans to the filling. May be frozen.