Pecan Bars (American Style)

Ingrediants

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp All-purpose flour, sifted
• 3 tbsp Brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Melted butter
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

For the Filling:

• 4 tbsp Butter (approx. 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup Brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup Pure carob molasses (Dibs Kharroub)
• 1 tbsp Cream
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups Pecans, chopped or halves (approx. 180g)

For Garnish:

• 3–4 tbsp Ground pistachio (optional)

Direction

Instructions

1. Preparation: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 14cm x 23cm glass baking dish with aluminum foil (or parchment paper), leaving a 5cm overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out later.
2. Make the Crust: In a suitable bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter and vanilla. Stir with a fork until a firm, crumbly dough forms.
3. Press & Chill: Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared dish using your hands. Place the dish in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
4. Blind Bake: Bake the crust for 18–20 minutes until the surface is dry but not fully browned. Remove and let it cool completely.
5. Prepare the Toffee: In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir the butter, brown sugar, and carob molasses until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
6. Add Nuts: Remove from heat. Whisk in the cream, vanilla, and salt. Fold the pecans into the mixture until well coated.
7. Final Bake: Pour the mixture over the cooled crust and spread the pecans evenly. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until bubbles form around the edges. The filling will still appear fluid/soft when removed from the oven.
8. Setting: Let it cool and set overnight at room temperature, or refrigerate for several hours.
9. Slicing: Lift the foil handles to move the rectangle to a cutting board. Remove the foil. Dust with ground pistachios if desired. Use a heavy knife or cleaver to cut into 2cm x 7cm bars or 2.5cm squares.

Storage: Keep covered in a cool place or in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. Serve with coffee.

Variations

• Honey Pecan Bars: Replace the carob molasses with honey.
• Walnut Bars: Use walnuts instead of pecans and date molasses instead of carob. Add a sprinkle of ground cardamom with the pistachios, or add 1/2 tsp of ground cardamom to the filling in Step 6.
• Date & Walnut Bars: Using the walnut variation above, add 1/4 cup of finely chopped dates. Fold them in with the nuts in Step 6.