Maple Pecan Shortbread

Wotchers!

Something a little more decadent this week – still biscuity, but with so much rich flavour it will have you swooning.

Beautifully crisp shortbread covered with a rich, maple syrup filling and topped with chopped pecans. It is so simple to make and so utterly delicious and moreish, you will be cursing me as you realise the entire batch is gone onna count of everyone being tempted to just one more bite.

This recipe has been adapted from something I found online. The original recipe was very heavy on the butter and sugar and the shortbread base, although rich, lacked crispness. Everything was over the top. However with a couple of tweaks, it has perked up no end, and is currently my bake of choice to take as a gift (provided they can be prized out of my vice-like grip).

I love the richness of the flavours in these squares. I chose to use dark muscovado sugar and Grade A maple syrup. If you think these might be a little intense for your tastes, switch to soft, light brown sugar and a milder syrup.

Another reason why I love these bars, aside from their amazing flavour, is the ease with which they come together. There’s no rolling and cutting of the shortbread – it’s not even a dough – you just press the crumb-like mixture into your tin and bake. The filling is mixed in one bowl in about five minutes, poured onto the cooked base and sprinkle on the pecans. Twenty-five minutes later and they’re done.

Come on and get your maple pecan biscuit on!

Maple Pecan Bars

Shortbread base
60g caster sugar
120g unsalted butter
150g plain flour
30g cornflour
0.5tsp salt

Filling
150g dark muscovado sugar
150g pure Grade A maple syrup (I used Clarks)
1 large egg
0.5tsp salt
30g unsalted butter – melted and cooled slightly.

100g pecans – roughly chopped.

• Heat the oven to 200°C, 180°C Fan.
• Line a baking tin with parchment paper. I used a square tin with an internal measurement of 22cm. You could use anything of similar dimensions – slightly narrower rectangle or 20cm round cake tin – whatever you have to hand. It should be at least 3cm deep.
• Put the shortbread ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and press flat.
• Bake for 20 minutes, until just starting to brown. Set aside to cool.
• Reduce the oven heat to 180°C, 160°C Fan.
• Whisk the sugar, syrup, salt and egg until light and foamy (5 minutes).
• Whisk in the butter, then pour the mixture onto the cooled shortbread.
• Scatter the pecans evenly over the top and bake for 25 minutes until the middle is just barely set (has a little wobble).
• Cool in the tin.
• To get sharp, clean slices, once cooled, chill in the fridge for one hour before slicing into portions.
• Store in an airtight container.