Pecan Pie is just one of those decadent desserts that reminds me of the holidays. I love the crunchy exterior of the pie, but the ooey-gooey center always gets me. This nutty pie seems to be made only for special occasions, so I thought it might be fun to make it in bar form, and add a little chocolate to the party.
I use ground chocolate wafers with a little butter and cinnamon for a crumbly texture, and outstanding deep chocolate crust. These bars are so yummy, they will please not only your nut-loving friends, but the chocolate lovers too.
I think of these bars as basically portable hand-held pies, and they can be served at almost any occasion. I think they make a pretty sweet-treat in kids lunches too – easy to wrap up and store for a few hours.
Ingredients
Crust
1 package chocolate wafers, Nabisco brand
1 stick butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Filling
1 1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 extra large eggs
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cinnamon
1 1/2 cups whole pecans
(Makes 15 Bars)
To Prepare:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. In a food processor add all Crust ingredients and pulse 6 or 7 times, until fine crumbs. Pour into prepared pan and press out evenly, using a measuring cup. Bake in oven for 8 minutes, remove and set aside.
2. Chop pecans into coarse pieces, set aside. In a stand mixer or large bowl, combine corn syrup, brown sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Mix on low for 1 minute. Add pecans and mix again for 1 minute, or until combined. Pour on top of crumbs.
3. Bake in oven for 35-45 minutes, or until firm on top. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Store in refrigerator, remove 30 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!