Caramel Pecan Pie Shortbread

I like to salvage as many ingredients as I can when I'm faced with a baking disaster.  As I've mentioned twice before, I failed at making pecan pie cookies for a bake sale.  I came up with the idea of using the pecan pie filling to make mini pecan pie cookies, which was another FAIL, but was able to use the remaining filling for caramel pecan pie shortbread.  The third time really  was a charm.  (Actually, I felt sick to my stomach just thinking about trashing $10 worth of pecans and good, quality chocolate). 

I can still remember how good the shortbread was in the lemon bar recipe I posted during my early blogging days, and wanted to whip up something quick the morning of Thanksgiving.   Less than 45 minutes later, I had these decadent bad boys packed and ready to go for our holiday lunch at my mom's house:

The shortbread was perfectly baked and the filling was to die for.  It was surprisingly chewy and had the slightest hint of cinnamon.  Not too sweet and not to bitter (I used extra dark cacao baking chips and used the remainder of my semi-sweet chips) Mmm....another recipe that is up for the dessert menu for Christmas.  :)  

Caramel Pecan Pie Shortbread

adapted from Baker's Royale and Tita Terry's Lemon Bar Recipe

Caramel Pecan Pie Filling from Baker's Royale: 

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

4 ¼ oz  chocolate, 65% cacao, melted

1 tablespoon of corn syrup

¼ cup heavy cream

½ teaspoon cardamom (I used cinnamon)

not called for in original recipe, but I did use about two tablespoons of caramel sauce

not called for in original recipe, but I added 1/2 tsp fleur de sel

Shortbread recipe:

1/2 c butter
1 1/3 c unsifted flour
1/4 c sugar

Mix crust ingredients low speed til blended.  Pat into greased 8" square pan.  Bake at 350 near center open rack for 15-20 min. 

Pour caramel pecan filling over crust, return to oven 18-20 min or til set. 

Candy Making

My bff recently blogged about a dark chocolate nutella twix bar recipe she came across recently.  I have yet to make it but I actually found this recipe that I'd like to share with you.  Its quite similar but instead of nutella, its a twix brownie bar! 

My cousin, Nicole posted this blog on her FB this morning, and as I was scrolling through the blogger's recipes, I found this Twix alternative.  Sometimes I just want to stay home on a busy work week like these and just bake, Bake, BAKE!  lol.  

This week has been absolutely insane at my work (I do research in liver transplant in SF) and I'm really looking forward to this weekend.  I'm doing a test batch of white cake with strawberries and whipped cream for an order that's coming up in a few weeks and I think I'll make this for the couple and their kids who are coming over on Sunday.  It's also not a bad gift idea for Father's Day.  Wrap it in a cute box with a ribbon and you have a wonderful homemade gift your father/man in your life will enjoy.  I hope you enjoy this recipe and please share your candy making experience with me and I promise I'll do the same.  Happy candy making!  

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 sticks salted butter, cut into pieces
14 oz bag of caramels
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
Box of your favorite brownie mix + ingredients to make (I used Ghiradellhi Ultimate Fudge--whatever brand you use, you want fudgy, not cakey brownies) 
Chocolate candy melts or almond bark

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray.

In a food processor, combine flour, sugar and butter. Process until it comes together to form a dough (you can also use your hands if you don't have a food processor).

Pat the dough in the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 25 minutes or so.

Place the pan in the refrigerator to cool for about 30 minutes and prepare your brownie batter according to instructions. Remove shortbread from refrigerator and spread brownie batter over it evenly. Bake until brownies are set, but still fudgy.

Place pan in the refrigerator to cool again. Once brownies are firm, place unwrapped caramels and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every 15 seconds until completely melted and smooth. Pour melted caramel over brownies and spread evenly. Refrigerate again until firm.

Grab the ends of the foil and remove from pan. Peel the foil off the sides and bottom and place the brownies on a cutting board and cut into thin bars. Melt candy melts/almond bark according to package directions and dip bars, placing on a wax paper lined baking sheet until chocolate is fully set.
 

Movin' on Up

Hey folks.  Sorry for the lack of posts this week.  I underwent surgery the beginning of the week and am in the process of moving to our new place.    

Here is my favorite lemon bar recipe courtesy of Tita Terry.  She made a batch and I've been addicted ever since.  BEST LEMON BARS EVER!  The bf's mom loves them and since she's been helping us decorate and move our things into the condo, I'm baking her a big batch this weekend.  ;) 




Lemon Bars
-Tita Terry's recipe

Crust
1/2 c butter
1 1/3 c unsifted flour
1/4 c sugar

Filling
2 eggs
3/4 c sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp lemon juice

Mix crust ingredients low speed til blended.  Pat into greased 8" square pan.  Bake at 350 near center open rack for 15-20 min. 

Pour filling over crust, return to oven 18-20 min or til set.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy.