Brown Butter & Miso Pecan Pie Bars
These pecan pie bars pair a buttery pecan shortbread base with a nutty, brown butter & miso pecan pie topping. They're super gooey & packed full of flavour!
Servings: 12 Bars
Equipment
- 8" Square Baking Tin
- Stand Mixer
- Large Saucepan
- Baking Tray
- Palette Knife
Ingredients
Toasted Pecans
- 230 g Pecan Halves
Pecan Shortbread
- 140 g Unsalted Butter (Softened At Room Temperature)
- 40 g Dark Brown Sugar
- 35 g Caster Sugar
- ½ tsp Vanilla Paste
- 170 g Plain Flour
- ¼ tsp Table Salt
- 30 g Toasted Pecans
Pecan Pie Topping
- 100 g Unsalted Butter
- 1½ tsp White Miso Paste
- 1 tsp Toasted Milk Powder (See Notes)
- 130 g Golden Syrup
- 90 g Dark Brown Sugar
- 50 g Double Cream
- 2 Large Eggs (See Notes)
- Zest Of 1 Lemon
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- A Pinch Of Sea Salt (Plus Extra For Sprinkling On Top)
- 200 g Toasted Pecans
Instructions
Toasted Pecans
- Preheat an oven to 175°c/155°c fan (347°f/311°f).
- Place the pecans onto a baking tray then bake for 6-8 minutes, until they're toasted & fragrant. Make sure to shake the tray occasionally so that the nuts toast evenly.
- Once toasted, let the pecans cool completely.
Pecan Shortbread
- Grease & line an 8" square baking tin with baking parchment then set to one side. Make sure that the tin is well greased so that the parchment won't slide around when we press the shortbread into the base.
- Add the softened butter, both sugars & vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer then use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium-low speed until combined & smooth. This will only take a minute or two.
- Next, finely chop 30 grams of the toasted pecans then add into the butter along with the flour & salt. Mix on a low speed, just until a rough dough forms.
- Transfer the shortbread into the lined tin then press into an even layer. I find that the easiest way to do this is to press the dough down with your hands then smooth it out with a palette knife.
- Bake the shortbread for 16-18 minutes (at 175°c/347°f), until the edges are golden brown & the middle is set. Once cooked, set to one side whilst you make the topping.
Pecan Pie Topping
- Chop the butter into small, even pieces then place into a large saucepan. Set the pan over a medium heat & allow to melt, stirring regularly with a spatula. Keep cooking, until the butter starts to foam, smells nutty & you can see that the milk solids in the bottom of the pan have turned golden brown.
- Take the pan off the heat then whisk in the miso paste & the toasted milk powder, followed by the golden syrup, brown sugar & double cream.
- Whisk in the eggs, lemon zest & juice and the salt.
- Next, roughly chop up the remaining pecans (200 grams) then stir into the syrup.I like to chop the pecans into a mix of big & small pieces.
- Pour the pecan mix on top of the shortbread base, making sure that they nuts are evenly distributed in the topping.
- Bake the pecan pie bars for 30-35 minutes, until the topping is set with a very slight jiggle. If the top starts to brown too much, cover the tin loosely with foil.
- Once cooked, let the pecan pie bars cool completely in the tin then carefully remove from the tin then cut into pieces. I find that a sharp, serrated knife works best. It's best to wipe the knife clean between cuts.
Notes
1. To Cook In An Aga - Use the boiling plate to cook the brown butter. Use the baking oven to cook the shortbread & topping. Bake the shortbread on the second from bottom set of runners then bake the filling on the bottom set of runners.
2. Toasted Milk Powder - Using this is optional but adds an extra nutty, caramelised flavour to the topping. Check out our toasted milk powder guide, for instructions on how to make this!
3. Eggs - You'll need 2 large eggs for the topping, each should weigh 50 grams out of the shell.
4. Storage - Pecan pie bars are best stored in an airtight container, either in the fridge or at room temperature. They'll keep for up to 3 days at room temperature or for an extra day or two in the fridge. These bars are best served at room temperature, so I'd recommend letting them sit out for 30 minutes before serving.