Orange Pecan Bars Recipes

ORANGE-PECAN BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Chop the pecans and walnuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add the Sweet Wintery Spice Blend and pulse to combine.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with some melted butter. Add 2 sheets of phyllo, then brush with more butter. Continue in this manner until you have stacked 10 sheets of phyllo. Cover with a quarter of the nut mixture.
• Add 5 sheets of phyllo, brushing with butter after the second and the fourth sheets. After the fifth sheet, add another quarter of the nut mixture. Repeat adding 5 sheets and a quarter of the nut mixture two more times.
• Top with the remaining phyllo sheets, brushing with butter every 2 sheets. Brush extra butter on the top. Cut diagonal strips about 1 inch apart. Cut another row of diagonal strips in the opposite direction.
• Bake until golden and crispy, 75 to 90 minutes. Check for doneness after 1 hour by lifting the top layers of phyllo from the center to reveal the nut mixture--the phyllo should look dry-ish and crisp.
• As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the Orange-Honey Syrup over the top. Let sit for at least 5 hours to allow the syrup to soak in.
• Cut the baklava into diamonds. It will keep for 5 days covered with plastic wrap.
• Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom and cloves in a small bowl until well combined. Store in a small, airtight container.
• Add the honey, sugar, cinnamon sticks, orange zest and 2 cups water to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until thickened slightly, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the orange juice and vanilla extract; cook another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

FAVORITE PECAN PIE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar and salt; cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 20 minutes., For filling, in a large bowl, whisk eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter and vanilla. Stir in pecans. Spread over hot crust., Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until filling is set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

ORANGE CRANBERRY BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans. Press into an 8x4-in. loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes., Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine the egg, milk, orange zest and vanilla. Combine sugar and flour; gradually add to egg mixture and mix well. Fold in the cranberries, coconut and pecans. Spread over crust. , Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

ORANGE PECAN COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, orange juice and zest. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in pecans. Shape dough into two 11-1/2-in. rolls; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. , Unwrap; cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

KENTUCKY PECAN BARS

Steps:

• For the crust: Adjust the oven rack to the bottom position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, salt and butter until the butter is pea-sized. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough begins to pull from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, gather together and pat into a rectangle. Roll the dough into an 1/8-inch-thick rectangle that measures about 13 by 15 inches. Trim the rough edges and ease the dough into the prepared pan, pressing it onto the bottom and about halfway up the sides (trim the dough more on the sides as needed). Prick the dough a couple times with a fork. Cover with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the dough starts to set up, about 15 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and continue to bake until the crust is just golden, about 5 minutes more. Let it cool completely.
• For the filling: Meanwhile, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and spread the pecans out on a baking sheet. Bake until toasted and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool and then coarsely chop.
• Bring a couple of inches of water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Put the white chocolate in a heat-safe bowl that sits comfortably in the saucepan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Spread it evenly on the crust and let it set up.
• Beat the honey and brown sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Pour in the melted butter and continue to beat. Add the flour, bourbon, orange zest and vanilla. Sprinkle the pecans over the white chocolate and pour in the honey mixture.
• Bake until the top of the filling is golden brown and the center sets up, 30 to 40 minutes. Cover and put in the refrigerator until cool. When ready to serve, cut into 36 even bars.

ORANGE-CRANBERRY OAT BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and ginger; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the oats, coconut and orange zest., Place 3 cups of mixture in another bowl; stir in pecans. Set aside for topping. Press remaining oat mixture into a greased 15x10-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown., Combine cranberry sauce and orange marmalade; spread over crust. Top with reserved oat mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

ORANGE-SUGARED PECANS

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water and orange juice concentrate. Cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in pecans and orange zest. , Beat until mixture thickens and loses its gloss, about 2 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper to set. Store in an airtight container.

ORANGE-PECAN GRANOLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put oats, flakes, sugar, nuts, zest, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Melt butter with honey in a saucepan over low heat; stir into oat mixture.
• Spread mixture in a 7-by-11-inch baking pan; bake until just golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool in pan (mixture will harden). Break cooled mixture into large chunks.

ORANGE PECANS

Steps:

• Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Bring first 3 ingredients to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 30 seconds. Stir in pecans. Spread pecans on waxed paper. Cool completely. Separate pecans if necessary. (Can be prepared up to 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container.)