Chocolate Pecan Pie Squares
If you love Pecan Pie then this is right up your alley. This recipe makes bars that will make your teeth ache. They taste just like Pecan Pie only much easier and faster to make and can be topped with Caramel Sauce and Chocolate Whipped Cream, although I think they are fabulous just by themselves. The 9 x 13 size is perfect for a crowd, pot lucks, etc.
If you love Pecan Pie then this is right up your alley. This recipe makes bars that will make your teeth ache. They taste just like Pecan Pie only much easier and faster to make and can be topped with Caramel Sauce and Chocolate Whipped Cream, although I think they are fabulous just by themselves. The 9 x 13 size is perfect for a crowd, pot lucks, etc.
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons butter
- bars:
- 1 17-oz container sugar cookie mix
- 4 eggs divided
- 3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks), divided
- 1 1-oz square semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 cups brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- caramel sauce: (or buy jarred)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- chocolate whipped cream: (or buy canned)
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- Carbohydrate 47.9466071875 g
- Cholesterol 199.89 mg
- Fat 42.89501625 g
- Fiber 1.05053440511972 g
- Protein 5.8404665625 g
- Saturated Fat 21.27105709375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (131g)
- Sodium 336.853625 mg
- Sugar 46.8960727823803 g
- Trans Fat 2.97588818750001 g
- Calories 591 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 1/2 cup butter in small saucepan (or microwave...although I know it's a sin to microwave butter! Frankly, this recipe is kind of sinful!). In a medium bowl combine cookie mix, 1 egg, melted butter and cinnamon.
- Spread batter in bottom of lightly greased and floured 9" x 13" baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes until edges are lightly browned.
- In small saucepan (or the microwave), combine remaining butter and chocolate. (I used 1 ounce of semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of the square and it worked fine.) Cook over low heat if using a saucepan, stirring frequently, until both are melted. If using the microwave cook for 15 seconds and stir. Repeat every 10 seconds until almost melted and then stir until completely melted. Let cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl combine remaining eggs, brown sugar, bourbon, and vanilla. Add cooled chocolate mixure and blend well. Stir in pecans. Pour mixture over crust and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Check after 15 minutes to see if pecans are browned. Do not over bake.
- For the Caramel Sauce - Combine butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Gradually add cream, stirring well after each addition, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes and remove from heat. (This makes a little over 1 cup) Store tightly covered in the refrigerator and use as needed. (I used jarred caramel sauce and heated it as needed.)
- For Chocolate Whipped Cream - In a small chilled bowl combine whipping cream, powdered sugar and cocoa. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, stopping to scrap the bowl occasionally. Makes about 3/4 cup. (Again, I made this recipe as easy as possible and bought canned whipped cream. I did not use chocolate as called for. I believe chocolate whipped cream may be a bit much. In fact, these bars are so sweet that they are very good alone or with a simple topping of regular whipped cream. Reserve the Caramel Sauce for the real sweet tooth in the family!)
Using a pre-packaged sugar cookie mix as a base eliminates the tedious process of cutting butter into flour for a traditional pastry crust. This shortcut yields a soft, dense foundation that requires flouring the thirteen-by-nine-inch pan thoroughly to prevent sticking. Press the dough evenly across the bottom and monitor the fifteen-minute bake closely. Pull the crust from the three-hundred-fifty-degree oven as soon as the edges turn lightly golden brown to avoid overcooking during the second baking phase.
Melting chocolate requires precise temperature control to prevent scorching or seizing. When combining the semi-sweet chocolate and butter in a microwave, heat the mixture in short intervals of ten to fifteen seconds while stirring constantly between bursts. Allow the melted mixture to cool slightly before incorporating the eggs and brown sugar. Hot chocolate will scramble the raw eggs upon contact, ruining the custard texture.
Substitutions alter the final product significantly. Standard dark or light brown sugar works interchangeably, but replacing the bourbon with an equal amount of water or coffee changes the depth of flavor. If caramel sauce is prepared from scratch using brown sugar and whipping cream, store the finished sauce in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Reheat portions gently before serving.
The primary error when preparing this style of bar involves over-baking the filling. The pecan mixture requires only fifteen to twenty minutes in the oven. Watch the pecans closely after the fifteen-minute mark. Remove the pan immediately when the nuts achieve a toasted appearance to maintain a gooey center.
