Shelly's Recipe

CHOCOLATE PECAN SQUARES

Category: Bars

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (divided use)
2 cups flour
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
10 oz pecans, toasted
1 cup dark-brown sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp heavy cream
3 oz finely grated bittersweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350. Cut 1 1/2 sticks of butter into 1/2-inch pieces and place in food processor along with flour, light-brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Process until mixture begins to form pea-sized clumps. Sprinkle mixture into 9x9-inch baking pan and, using fingers, pat out evenly into bottom. Bake cookie crust in middle of oven until golden, about 25 minutes.

While cookie base is baking, prepare topping. In bowl of food processor, coarsely chop pecans. In medium-size heavy saucepan, melt 1 stick butter and stir in dark-brown sugar, kosher salt, honey and cream. Simmer mixture for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in pecans.

When cookie base comes out of oven, sprinkle grated chocolate evenly over top. Pour pecan mixture over chocolate, spreading evenly. Bake on middle rack of oven until entire filling bubbles (not just edges), about 18 minutes. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Note: Tightly covered, bars will keep about 5 days.