Servings: —
Preheat: 350°
Source: From the International Cookie Cookbook by Nancy Baggett
There are many versions of this super-rich bar cookie around the United States today. Some recipes specify cutting the bars into diamonds, others into squares or rectangles. In this version, the cookies are thinnish rectangles with a narrow end dipped in a glossy chocolate glaze.
Ingredients
SHORTBREAD
3/4 cup all-purpose or unbleached white fiour
I tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 CUP (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1-to 1 ½ tablespoons light cream
PECAN TOPPING
1 ½ cups chopped pecans
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon light cream
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
CHOCOIATE GIAZE
1 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate
1 ½ ounce unsweetened chocolate
2 teaspoons solid vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon honey
Directions
To prepare shortbread, thoroughly stir together flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add butter and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry blender or forks until the’mixture resembles coarse meal. Add I tablespoon cream and toss until well distributed and dough begins to bind together when pressed into a ball. If necessary, add more cream by teaspoons until a dough forms, but do not overmoisten. (Alternatively, combine dry ingredients and butter in food processor bowl fitted with a steel blade and process in on/ off pulses until the mixture resembles coarse meal, being careful not to overprocess. Add I tablespoon cream and process in on/off pulses until dough begins to hold together. Add a bit more cream if needed to bind dough, but do not overmoisten.)
Turn dough into an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan and press out toward edges to form a smooth, evenly thick layer.
Place in the center of the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Remove shortbread from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
To prepare the pecan topping, spread pecans in a large baking pan and toast, stirring several times for 5 to 6 minutes. Place butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat and heat until melted and bubbling. Simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes, adjusting heat if necessary and being careful not to burn butter. Stir in brown sugar, honey, and granulated sugar. Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Add toasted pecans, cream, and vanilla and stir until well combined. (The proportion of nuts to sugar-butter mixture will seem high but it is correct.) Spread pecan mixture evenly over shortbread.
Return to the oven and bake at 350° for 20 to 22 minutes, or until topping is bubbly and golden brown. Remove baking pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool to warm before cutting. (If dough is too warm when cut bars will be crumbly; if it’s too cool, it will be too firm to cut easily, so check frequently.)
Carefully cut into 16 equal squares with a sharp knife. Then, cut squares in half to form rectangular bars. Using a spatula, transfer bars to a wire rack set over a sheet of waxed paper.
To prepare glaze, combine semisweet and unsweetened chocolate, solid shortening, and honey in a small, heavy saucepan and warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and runny; be careful not to burn. Working quickly before glaze cools and stiffens, dip one narrow end of each bar into glaze. Return bars to rack and let stand for at least 45 minutes, or until the glaze sets.
Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week. Bars may be frozen if desired. Keep refrigerated after thawing.
Makes 32 2-by-l-inch bars.