Pecan Pie Bars with Maple Whipped Cream

Name: Pecan Pie Bars with Maple Whipped Cream
Cook time: 57 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 150 g all-purpose flour divided; 25 g granulated sugar divided; 2 g fine salt divided; 115 g unsalted butter cold and cubed, then melted as needed; 50 g unsalted butter cold and cubed, then melted as needed; 40 g granulated sugar divided; 150 g light brown sugar packed; 120 g light corn syrup; 2 g fine salt divided; 2 count large eggs beaten; 10 ml vanilla extract; 1 g ground cinnamon; 180 g pecan halves roughly chopped; 30 g all-purpose flour divided; 120 ml heavy cream cold; 30 ml maple syrup

These bars use a press-in crust and a cooked pecan filling so they slice cleanly after cooling. The maple whipped cream is served on top of the bars or alongside them.

By Julienne

Cook time: 57 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

150 g all-purpose flour divided
25 g granulated sugar divided
2 g fine salt divided
115 g unsalted butter cold and cubed, then melted as needed
50 g unsalted butter cold and cubed, then melted as needed
40 g granulated sugar divided
150 g light brown sugar packed
120 g light corn syrup
2 g fine salt divided
2 count large eggs beaten
10 ml vanilla extract
1 g ground cinnamon
180 g pecan halves roughly chopped
30 g all-purpose flour divided
120 ml heavy cream cold
30 ml maple syrup

Instructions

Heat the oven to 175 C. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides. In a bowl, combine 150 g flour, 25 g granulated sugar, and 2 g salt. Add 115 g cold cubed butter and cut it in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, then press firmly into the pan in an even layer. The crust is compact, even, and free of dry flour patches.
Bake the crust for 14 minutes, until the edges look set and pale golden. The crust is lightly golden at the edges and no longer looks wet.
While the crust bakes, make the filling. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the remaining 50 g butter. Whisk in the remaining 40 g granulated sugar, all of the brown sugar, corn syrup, the remaining 2 g salt, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth, then stir in the chopped pecans and the remaining 30 g flour just until combined. The filling is glossy and evenly mixed, with pecans suspended throughout.
Pour the filling over the hot crust and spread the pecans into an even layer. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes more, until the filling is set at the edges and only slightly wobbly in the center. The center jiggles slightly when the pan is tapped but does not slosh.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely for at least 1 hour before lifting out and cutting into 8 bars. The slab is fully cool and cuts cleanly into neat bars.
Just before serving, whip the cold heavy cream and maple syrup in a medium bowl to soft peaks. Spoon a little over each bar or serve it on the side. The cream holds soft peaks and looks billowy, not grainy.