Sticky Toffee Pecan Shortbread Bars

Sticky Toffee Pecan Shortbread Bars are a delicious addition to your biscuit tin.  The easy to make homemade shortbread layer, is blended in a food processor and the shortbread crumbs are tipped into the tin and pressed down. The top layer is baked with crushed pecans and healthy dates. They were loved by my family and visitors who were lucky enough to get a bar before they disappeared.

All my previous shortbread recipes have required the mixture to be brought together by hand this one is so easy, all you do is process the shortbread ingredients and tip the crumbs into the tin and press down. I had a slight not enough of this a little of that baking session when I was making the shortbread base, I had 55g of semolina, 25g of cornflour and I topped the balance off with quick cook polenta! The moral of the story is that the semolina element is there to make a crumblier, shorter, shortbread and it will work if you need to replace a little of the semolina with another corn derivative you have.

The sticky toffee pecan layer has elements of pecan pie and sticky toffee pudding rolled into one mouthful. It is a lovely bake to add to your repertoire.

Sticky Toffee Pecan Shortbread Bars

 

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Preparation time

20 Minutes

Cooking time

30 Minutes

Total time

50 Minutes

 

A take on two British classics, shortbread and sticky toffee pudding. These Sticky Toffee Pecan Shortbread Bars are a great addition to your coffee morning table, breakfast on the run, afternoon tea or to give as edible gifts.

Marissa: www.marissa.co

Recipe type: Biscuit Recipe

Cuisine: British

Servings: 10-15

Ingredients

• 200g plain flour
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g semolina
• 200g butter, diced
• For the Sticky Toffee Pecan Topping:
• 40g butter
• 75g golden caster sugar
• 4 tablespoons double cream
• 45g plain flour
• 100g chopped dates (the dried chopped variety not fresh variety)
• 100g chopped pecan nuts

Method

1. Grease and line a 23cm square or 30cm x 26cm rectangular cake tin depending on the desired thickness you prefer for your bar.
2. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius.
3. In a food processor, blend all the shortbread ingredients until fine bread crumbs are formed.
4. Add all the crumbs straight into your prepared tin and firmly press the crumbs into the tin using a spoon or the palm of your hand.
5. Bake for about 17 minutes for a 30cm tin and 30 minutes for the thicker bars in the 23cm tin.
6. Keep an eye on the shortbread you only want a pale colour to the shortbread.
7. While the shortbread is cooking make the topping.
8. In a small pot that will be able to hold the nuts and pecan at the end too, add the butter, caster sugar and cream.
9. Stirring continuously and on a low heat melt the ingredients.
10. Once melted bring the mixture to a boil and allow the mixture whilst still stirring to boil for a minute or so just to amalgamate together.
11. Add the nuts and dates and top the shortbread with a thin layer, spreading gently with a spatula or tablespoon.
12. Return the shortbread to the oven and bake between 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Cut into bars or squares once the mixture has cooked with a bread knife.

Tips

You can bake these as tall thick bars in a smaller tin or thinner bars if you use a larger tin.
If you choose to make the bars in a shallower tin and you run out of the Sticky Toffee Pecan topping bake the bars with as much mixture as you have then pat yourself on your back, as you have made shortbread and Sticky Toffee Pecan Bars in one bake.

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