Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (235ml) dark corn syrup
  • 1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 cups (340g) chopped pecans

Instructions:

  1. Prep the base. Pulse the cold butter, flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until it looks like coarse crumbs. Note: Don't overwork it or the crust will be tough.
  2. Press and chill. Firmly press the mixture into a lined 9x13 pan and freeze for 10 minutes.
  3. Blind bake the crust. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until the edges are pale gold and smell like toasted shortbread.
  4. Whisk the filling. In a large bowl, beat the room temperature eggs with the dark corn syrup and brown sugar.
  5. Incorporate the fats. Stir in the melted butter, vanilla, and salt until the mixture is velvety and smooth.
  6. Add the pecans. Fold in the 3 cups of chopped pecans, ensuring every piece is coated in the syrup.
  7. Combine while hot. Pour the pecan mixture over the warm, pre baked crust immediately.
  8. The final bake. Return to the oven for 30-35 minutes until the center has a slight jiggle but the edges are set.
  9. Aroma check. You should smell a deep, nutty caramel scent that fills the entire room.
  10. Cool completely. Let the bars sit on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. Note: This is critical for the filling to set properly.