Salted Pecan Bars With Pretzel Crust Food

SALTED CARAMEL PRETZEL CRUNCH BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper with enough overhang on the sides to easily remove the bars from the pan. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy - about 1 minute. Add the flour, sugar, salt, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until crumbly. Get your hands in there to make the dough come together. Press tightly into prepared pan. Press pretzel pieces evenly on top. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before adding the caramel (I stick it in the refrigerator to speed this up).
• Prepare caramel and wait for it to cool until it slightly thickens. Pour/spoon over crust. Allow to cool and set completely before topping with chocolate. Again, I stick it in the refrigerator to speed it up.
• Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave in 15 second increments, stopping and stirring until completely melted. Pour over cooled caramel. Top with sea salt. Stick in the refrigerator to cool completely.
• Lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

PRETZEL-PECAN PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
• In the bowl of a food processor, grind the pretzels to a fine powder. Add the flour, sugar and salt and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the dough starts to come together and clump, about 30 seconds. Dump the contents of the bowl into the pie plate and press it evenly along the sides and bottom.
• Bake until the crust starts to turn golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• For the filling: Meanwhile, mix together the corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl.
• Arrange the pecans in a concentric pattern in the warm crust. Place the pretzels in a ring on top of the pecan pieces. Gently pour the filling over the pecans and pretzels. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake until the filling is completely set, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

PRETZEL CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, mix together margarine, sugar and pretzels. Press the mixture into a 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake in oven for 10 minutes; fill with desired pie filling.

CARAMEL PECAN BARS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. In a small bowl, beat eggs and vanilla. Gradually add hot sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to the butter mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans. , Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and edges are crisp. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired. Cut into bars.

SALTED PECAN BARS WITH PRETZEL CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Line bottom and sides of a 8 inch square pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2-3 inches to extend over sides. Coat foil with cooking spray.
• Stir together crushed pretzels, melted butter, sugar and egg white. Press mixture on bottom of pan. Bake for 11 minutes.
• While crust is baking, combine milk and caramels in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.
• Remove crust from oven. Pour caramel mixture over hot crust. Sprinkle with pecans and salt. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 m inutes. Chill at least 30 minutes.
• Left mixture from pan, using foil sides as handles. Cut into 20 bars. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week. Serves 20.