Pecan Bars Americas Test Kitchen Recipes

PECAN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with foil allowing an overhang about 2 inches off the sides. Butter the foil.
• In a food processor, blend together flour, sugar, butter and salt until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add 2 tablespoons cold water and mix until the dough just holds together. Press dough into bottom of buttered baking dish and bake in oven until golden in color, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add the butter, brown sugar and a pinch of salt and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the corn syrup, flour and pecans and mix until just combined. Spread the filling over the baked crust and bake until golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan.
• Remove from pan by pulling up the foil sides and putting it on a cutting board. Cut bars in desired size with a sharp knife and arrange them on a serving tray. Can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.

PECAN BARS

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg; pulse just until a dough forms.
• Transfer dough to prepared pan; with floured fingers and an offset spatula, press firmly into bottom and 3/4 inch up sides. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Prick bottom of dough; bake until lightly golden, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool while preparing filling.
• Make the filling: In a large saucepan, bring butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly, until smooth; continue boiling, without stirring, until slightly darkened, about 2 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat. Whisk in cream and salt; mix in pecans.
• Assemble and bake: Spoon hot filling evenly over crust, using spoon to arrange and press in nuts so they fit snugly (create as flat a surface as possible).
• Bake until bubbling and amber-colored, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
• Using foil, lift cake from pan; peel off foil. With a sharp knife, trim edges (if desired). Cut into 6 even strips; cut each strip crosswise into 4 even strips to make 24 bars.

CHUNKY PECAN BARS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. , Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter and vanilla until blended. Stir in chocolate chunks and pecans. Pour over crust. , Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

PECAN BARS - AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN

Steps:

• Toast all of the pecans first. Put all them (in a single layer) on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 - 10 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Give them a shake every few minutes and watch closely; they can go from toasted to burnt very quickly. Let cool.
• While that's going on, melt your butter so that it can cool adequately for the filling.
• For the crust: Line an 8-inch square pan with foil (two large sheets going opposite direction), then coat lightly with oil spray.
• Process flour, brown sugar, pecans, salt and baking powder in a food processor until it resembles coarse cornmeal, about 5 pulses. sprinkle the butter over the top. Pulse until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse oatmeal, about 8 pulses.
• (If you don't have a food processor, take 1/4 Celsius toasted pecans and chop them very, very finely. The toasting makes them very easy to chop into a meal or near-meal. I used a butchers knife on a wooden board. Mix them with the rest of the crust's dry ingredients, and then cut in the butter with a pastry blender.)
• Put the crust mixture in the prepared pan. Press firmly into an even crust with your fingers. Bake at 350 degree oven until it starts to brown, 20 - 24 minutes.
• For the filling: As soon as the crust finishes baking, whisk together the brown ssugar, corn syrup, melted butter, bourbon/rum, vanilla and salt just until combined. Whisk in the egg until incoporated, then pour over the hot crust. Sprinkle the pecans over the top.
• Bake until top is brown and cracks start to form (Note: I never saw cracks on mine. I took them out when it was started to brown up and I didn't see goop on a toothpick.) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hrs., before removing from the pan using the foil as lifters.

MILLION DOLLAR PECAN BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add cake mix just until blended. Stir in oats. Press 3 cups onto the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking pan., In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine milk and chips. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes; stir. Cook 1 to 2-1/2 minutes longer or until chips are melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in butter and vanilla until melted. Stir in pecans. Spread over crust., Crumble remaining oat mixture; sprinkle over top. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

CHEWY PECAN BARS

Steps:

• Spread butter evenly in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. In a large bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar and vanilla until blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to egg mixture until well blended. Stir in pecans., Spread into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until browned. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

CONTEST-WINNING PECAN CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack., In a small bowl, beat the milk, egg and maple flavoring. Stir in the butterscotch chips. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with pecans. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.