The Perils of Praline
Jul. 28th, 2019 09:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madbakerThis week's Resolution Recipe: Pecan Pie Praline Bars.
(I actually pronounce it West Coast-style, "pray-leen". But the header joke was too good to forgo)
Shortbread crust
10 Tbsp / 1.25 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
Topping
1 stick / 1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup (I used dark - it's all I ever have in the house, and is also what I use for pecan pies)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (ditto on dark vs. light)
1 Tbsp cream
8 oz pecans, chopped
Heat oven to 350. Beat the butter and sugar together until light, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Sift together the dry ingredients and mix into the butter mixture on low speed until just combined.
Press the dough into an 8x8" pan, making an edge around the edge like a pie crust. It will be sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands with flour as needed. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.
For the topping, combine the butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted. Raise the heat and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the topping in between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the filling is set.
Remove from the oven and cool. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until cold. Cut into 16 squares and serve.
What worked: They were tasty enough. They definitely hit the "praline" taste meter rather than "pecan pie". They weren't over-sweet (they were sweet, obviously, just not jaw-rottingly so).
What didn't: I overbaked them a bit. Not to the point of tasting burnt, but I should have gone 15-20 minutes rather than 25-30. Also, they were rich enough that we didn't want more than one, which meant they lasted for a few days longer than ideal - the shortbread lost its snap in a couple days.
Will I make it again? Maybe for a potluck or homeowners' meeting, but it's not so fabulous that I want to make it a regular dessert. (Not that we have dessert that regularly outside potlucks or HOA meetings.)
(I actually pronounce it West Coast-style, "pray-leen". But the header joke was too good to forgo)
Shortbread crust
10 Tbsp / 1.25 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
Topping
1 stick / 1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup (I used dark - it's all I ever have in the house, and is also what I use for pecan pies)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (ditto on dark vs. light)
1 Tbsp cream
8 oz pecans, chopped
Heat oven to 350. Beat the butter and sugar together until light, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Sift together the dry ingredients and mix into the butter mixture on low speed until just combined.
Press the dough into an 8x8" pan, making an edge around the edge like a pie crust. It will be sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands with flour as needed. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.
For the topping, combine the butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted. Raise the heat and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the topping in between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the filling is set.
Remove from the oven and cool. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until cold. Cut into 16 squares and serve.
What worked: They were tasty enough. They definitely hit the "praline" taste meter rather than "pecan pie". They weren't over-sweet (they were sweet, obviously, just not jaw-rottingly so).
What didn't: I overbaked them a bit. Not to the point of tasting burnt, but I should have gone 15-20 minutes rather than 25-30. Also, they were rich enough that we didn't want more than one, which meant they lasted for a few days longer than ideal - the shortbread lost its snap in a couple days.
Will I make it again? Maybe for a potluck or homeowners' meeting, but it's not so fabulous that I want to make it a regular dessert. (Not that we have dessert that regularly outside potlucks or HOA meetings.)
