Dark Chocolate Pecan Squares

A simple and yummy dessert

Crust:

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening, cold

3-6 tbsp ice water

Filling

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

2 cups toasted pecans

3 eggs

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup golden corn syrup

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Crust:  Blend flour and salt in a medium size mixing bowl.  Cut chilled shortening into 1/2” cubes.  Mix in chilled shortening cubes into flour mixture using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea sized pieces remaining.  Sprinkle half of ice water over the flour mixture.  Using a fork, stir and draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top, distributing moisture evenly.  Add remaining water, 1 tbsp at a time until dough is moist enough to hold together.
2. Flatten dough into 1/2” thick round disk.  Wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
3. Preheat oven to 375F.
4. Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14” square.  Transfer dough into a 9”x9” square baking pan. Trim edges to height of baking dish.  Roll edge under so dough comes 3/4 of the way up the sides of the dish.
5. Filling:  Spread melted chocolate over the bottom of the dough.  Refrigerate to set.  Cover with pecans once cooled.  
6. Whisk together eggs, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl.  Whisk in corn syrup.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Pour over pecans.
7. Bake in preheated oven until filling is puffed, about 50 min

Chocolate Pecan Torte

Chocolate and Pecans - you can't go wrong.  This works well with toasted almonds if you want something different.

For cake layers:

2 ½ cups pecans (about 10 oz)

2 tbsp all purpose flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

1 tbsp fresh orange juice

4 large eggs

1 cup sugar

for filling:

½ cup well chilled heavy cream

1 tsp finely grated fresh orange zest

for frosting

6 oz semisweet chocolate

½ cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350F and butter two 8 by 2 inch round cake pans.  Line each pan with a round of wax paper and butter paper.

Make cake layers:

In a food processor pulse 2 cups pecans with flour, salt and baking powder until finely ground (do not pulse to a paste).  Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in orange juice.  Separate eggs and in a large bowl with an electric mixer beat yolks until pale yellow.  Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and pale, and fold in pecan mixture gently but thoroughly.  In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites until they hold stiff peaks.  Stir about one fourth whites into pecan mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Divide batter between cake pans and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until cakes pull away from sides of pans.  Cool cake layers in pans on a rack 10 minutes and invert onto rack to cool completely.  Carefully remove wax paper from bottoms of cake layers.

While cake layers are cooling on a baking sheet toast remaining ½ cup pecans until fragrant and a shade darker, about 8 minutes.  Cool nuts and chop.

Make filling

In a medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat cream with zest until it just holds stiff peaks.

Arrange 1 cake layer top side up on a serving plate and spread filling evenly onto layer.  Put remaining layer, bottom side up on filling.

Chocolate Dipped Nut Brittle with Sea Salt

Be careful - this is highly addictive!

½ cup walnut pieces

½ cup pecan pieces

½ cup pine nuts

½ cup slivered almonds

¼ cup unsalted butter cut into pieces

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

½ cup white corn syrup

1 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces

1 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Spread all the nuts on ungreased baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 10 min.  Stirring once. Let nuts cool completely.
2. Line a shallow rimmed 15 ½ x 10 baking sheet with parchment paper and grease lightly with butter.  In a small bowl, place butter, vanilla and baking soda (no need to blend; set aside.
3. In a heavy bottomed saucepan over high heat, bring sugar, corn syrup and 1/3 cup water to a boil, uncovered.  While sugar cooks, brush down the sides of pan with cool water.  Boil sugar over high heat until it turns a light amber colour about 12 min.  Remove from heat and quickly stir in butter, vanilla and baking soda with a wooden spoon (the baking soda will make it foamy).  Stir in nuts until coated and spoon mixture onto prepared baking tray.  Spread brittle as thinly as possible.  Let brittle cool completely at room temperature.
4. Melt chocolate chips in microwave on medium, stirring every 10 sec. until melted.  Crack brittle into desired serving pieces and dip halfway into melted chocolate and place back onto greased parchment lined baking tray.  Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and allow chocolate to set.

Caramel Praline Cheesecake

1 ¼ cups graham crumbs

¼ cup melted butter

34 caramels

3 tbsp milk

1 cup chopped pecans

3 pkg cream cheese, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1. Cover bottom of 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper.  Combine crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan.
2. Melt caramels with milk in saucepan on low, stirring until smooth.  Stir in pecans.  Pour over crust.
3. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium until well blended.  Add eggs one at a time; mix just until blended.  Pour batter over caramel mixture.
4. Bake at 350 F for 45 to 0 minutes or until centre is almost set.  Cool completely.  Chill 4 hours or overnight.  If desired, drizzle with caramel sauce and top with a few pecans.

Brown Sugar Pecan Ice Cream

All I can say is DECADENT!

2 cups pecans

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/8 tsp salt

3 large eggs

2 cups whole milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups well chilled heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a shallow baking pan spread pecans evenly and toast in middle of oven until fragrant and a shade darker, 5 to 6 minutes.  Cool pecans and finely chop.

In a bowl combine well brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt and whisk in eggs until combined.  In a 2 ½ to 3 quart heavy saucepan bring milk just to a boil.  Add hot milk to egg mixture in a slow stream, whisking and pour into pan.  Bring custard to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly, and boil, whisking 1 minute.  Stir in vanilla.  Custard will appear curdled.

Chill custard until cold and stir in cream.  Freeze custard in batches if necessary in an ice cream maker.  Transfer ice cream to a large bowl and stir in pecans.  Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.

German Chocolate Cake

Perfect for Christmas!!!!

1 - 4 ounce package German sweet cooking chocolate coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water

1 2/3 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 egg yolks

2/3 cup buttermilk

3 stiff beaten egg whites

Coconut Pecan Frosting

1. Grease and lightly flour two 8 x 1 1/2 inch round baking pans; set aside.  In a small sauce pan combine chocolate and water; cook and stir till chocolate melts.  Cool.  Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.  In a large mixer bowl beat butter on medium speed of electric mixer about 30 seconds.  Add sugar and vanilla; beat till fluffy.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well on medium speed.  Beat in chocolate mixture.
2. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately to beaten mixture, beating after each addition.  Fold in beaten egg whites.  Turn cake batter into prepared pans.  Bake in a 350 oven for 30 to 35 minutes or til cake tests done.  Place the cake layers on wire racks; cool for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans; cool thoroughly.  Fill and frost top with coconut pecan frosting.  Makes 12 servings.
3. Coconut Pecan Frosting:  IN a medium saucepan beat 1 egg slightly.  Stir in 2/3 cup sugar, one 5 1/2 ounce can evaporated milk, and 1/4 cup butter.  Cook and stir over medium heat about 12 minutes or till mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Stir in one 3 1/2 ounce can (1 1/3 cups) flaked coconut and 1/2 cup chopped pecans; cool.