Dare I say it? I suppose that Rusty originally found this recipe on Pinterest. Long ago he made several batches over a period of months but would never share with me the recipe, which I believe that he has committed to memory. One day, pencil in hand, I watched the preparation and wrote down every step. These crack bars are so easy, but the dessert should come with a Surgeon General warning . . . which is why I refer to them as crack bars: they are wildly addicting.
Rusty would make these for parties when we lived in Texas. Usually a weekend party. There were always several leftovers because he'd double or triple the batch . . .and because I'd hide at least a half-dozen in our freezer. So on Monday morning I'd peer from behind the game-room window waiting for Rusty to exit the driveway for work. I'd count to 100 to ensure that he wasn't returning for a forgotten mobile phone, his lunch, to repeatedly kiss me goodbye . . . you get the gist; and then I was off to the refrigerator for just one. Well, about half-way through the first bar I'd go grab two more and plop myself down in front of the television for some Downton Abbey or Project Runway. Yes, sad, I know. Anyway, these are really easy . . . so easy that you'll barely have time for a single screwdriver.
So on with our recipe. Here's what you'll for the shortbread:
- 1 and 1/2 sticks of cold butter. The colder the better, but don't obsess. Cut the butter into small pieces, about 1/2 square.
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, packed well into your measuring device. Don't get stingy on the brown sugar.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (Kosher works best . . . but table salt will be fine . . . again, don't obsess).
That's it for the shortbread crust. However (and this is a big however), I like to trick-out my shortbread using a teaspoon of ground nutmeg and a teaspoon of mace. Is this necessary? Absolutely not. But when working with pecans, nutmeg and mace are a threesome made in heaven. So don't be afraid to add a pinch of your favorite spice (cinnamon?) to your shortbread. The zest of an orange would be good, too (about a tablespoon).
I could catch the aroma of nutmeg and mace in today's batch, but Rusty could not. Perhaps my nose for nutmeg and mace is highly refined. Perhaps I could have used more. Perhaps it didn't matter in the slightest because that pecan goodness is what makes the crack bar so addictive . . . not any trick-it-out spices.
Now toss all of this into a food processor and let it pulse/run for about 45 seconds . . . perhaps a bit longer if your butter is icy cold. Do you need a food processor? Yes, I'm afraid that you truly do. This isn't a crust that can be mashed together inside a Ziplok. If you're one of the eight people in the Americas without a food processor, you might try a blender (perhaps using one-third to one-half of the ingredients at a time). This shortbread is not nearly as sensitive as pie dough, so don't obsess about over-working your crust.
After about 45 seconds it should look like the photo above. If it's still very floury, pulse it for another 30 seconds. Turn it out onto a foil-lined baking sheet -- I believe that tump is the proper culinary term. I use a sheet about 11x14. Use your hands/fingers to press it evenly into every corner . . . but don't obsess. If your shortbread is thicker or thinner in certain areas, it won't matter. When your crack is finished, it's going into the refrigerator where it will become firm, regardless of the thickness of your shortbread.
HINT: for ease in removing the finished crack bars, make sure that your foil comes up above the rim of the baking sheet. There is no need to grease that foil -- the butter will allow the crack bars to release easily. Foil above the rim will also prevent run-over of the pecan goodness when you get to that step.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 18 minutes. You want golden brown, not white/light; but neither do you want any hint of dark brown. I suggest a peek after 15 minutes. When your shortbread is golden, remove it and just let it sit.
On to step 2. You'll need (as shown above):
- 2 cups of pecans. Don't skimp. And they can be any size: finely chopped, halved, roughly chopped. It simply doesn't matter.
- 1 stick of butter (temperature doesn't really matter, but you don't wanted it melted)
- 1 cup well-packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup of honey (note: you could use a flavored honey, such as lavender, though I never have; but oh what goodness it might bring to the party)
- 2 tablespoons of heavy/whipping creme from the carton (NOT whipped)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (again, aim for Kosher, but don't obsess)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Over medium heat in a decently heavy saucepan (I use copper because it conducts heat so well) melt your butter, sugar, honey, cream, and salt. Stir, stir, stir . . . but this isn't a stir-constantly/never-walk-away thing . . . it's not that sensitive. Yes you have time for a second screwdriver. When you see that it's simmering (meaning that you can see bubbles . . . but not a wildly bubbling pan), allow it to simmerr for one minute then remove the pan from the heat and add your nuts and vanilla. Look! I used an ordinary butter knife to stir.
Pour your pecan goodness over your shortbread, spread it fairly evenly, and place it back into the 350-degree oven for about 12-15 minutes. Why the difference in time? If your oven is really hot (and some are), you'll only need about 12 minutes. If your oven isn't known for being too hot or for having hot spots, go the full 15 minutes.
Remove and allow to cool completely at room temperature. This will make cutting the sheet into bars much easier than if you rush the cooling in a refrigerator.
Done. Bam. As your crack cools be wary not to allow a cat to lick hot pecan goo. When the pan is completely cool, carefully remove the entire treat WITH FOIL to a flat surface and cut into bars. Then roll back the foil from the edges. Yep, with only a slight bit of care, the entire foil lined shortbread crack will lift out of the pan in one piece.
I use a pizza cutter to cut down the horizontal center of the pan, and then to cut bars about two inches wide. Go ahead, try one. You'll see its addictive properties. And there you have the famous crack bars.
But wait. Need a more tricked-out bar, or something a little more aesthetically pleasing for a party? Melt some chocolate chips in a mug in your microwave (about a half cup). . . or over very low heat in a small pan on the stove if you have no microwave. Prior to the microwave (or in your little stove-top pan) add a tablespoon of oil to the chocolate (I like coconut oil, but any cooking oil except olive will work). Microwave for about 20 seconds at a time stirring in between zaps of the microwave. Stir, stir, stir with a wooden skewer or a knife until the chocolate is very smooth.You do not want to burn that chocolate, but neither do you want any chips remaining whole.
Now you have several choices. You can dip one-half of each bar into the smooth chocolate in that mug (or small pan), or you can drizzle the melted chocolate onto one-half (or all) of each bar using a squeeze bottle or simply a knife or spoon. If you're drizzling using a knife or spoon, be sure to elevate that spoon well-above your crack bars to get a thin drizzle. Or not.
Alternatively, you can use dark-, milk-, and white-chocolate and make really pretty crack bars, half-dipped in regular milk/dark chocolate and then drizzled in white chocolate. Oh dear God. I must run to finish my crack bars.
Refrigerate the finished bars until you've eaten every last one. Do they need refrigeration? No, but it keeps them stiff and candy-bar like . . . so that you can hold it in your little fist for the less-than-60-seconds that it takes to devour each one.
Note: I can't tell you how long they'll last in the freezer. I've never allowed them to linger in the freezer more than a day before finishing them.
Enjoy.
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