Comments on: pecan squares

By: Katie

Katie — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 04:08:49 +0000

I tried this out this weekend-
I played around with proportions a bit so that I used 1/2 the “goo” with 3/4 the pecans (the 1/4 was on accident), and ~2/3 the dough. I left the dough out over night per your suggestion on the double-baked recipe.
My only concern is that the goo didn’t level out so some of the nut level separated from the shortbread.
The Shortbread tastes really buttery (went a little heavy on the butter) but also had a tendency to crumble.

Overall it was like a condensed piece of pecan pie

By: Gaby

Gaby — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:53:43 +0000

These were absolutely, amazingly, unbelievably decadent and delicious. And because I have some sort of sick mind, I took the time to calculate the caloric content of the full batch of squares (don’t worry, I was watching Cake Boss while doing it.) It added up to: 20,192.4. Enjoy! I know I did.

By: Alice

Alice — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:15:46 +0000

I’ve made these several times after I first saw them on Barefoot Contessa. I’ve been successful at lightening up the recipe by cutting back a bit on the butter in both the shortbread and the topping. I’ve also added a bit more vanilla to the shortbread. They are always a huge hit but I make it a point to warn everyone about their killer contents.

By: JenniferK

JenniferK — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:20:16 +0000

This looks great. I tried the recipe in Cooks Illustrated too-fabulous.

By: Candace

Candace — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:50:55 +0000

I made these today with a couple variations. I used a different shortbread recipe, like you suggested. Also, I did about 2/3 pecans and 1/3 preztels, and drizzled chocolate on the top.

wow. they are possibly the richest food i have ever made. 0_0
SO GOOD.

By: ßharon

ßharon — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:47:52 +0000

I Have this recipe by Ina and mine says it requires a 12X18X2 inch pan. It would take two regular jelly roll pans to accomodate the amount this makes. And I would still line them with parchment paper.
The original recipe is a Culinary Institute of America recipe. I have seen and tried many variations but I feel Ina’s is the best.

This is very good and a staple at our house at Christmas and I sell them for graduation parties.

By: Bethany

Bethany — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 04:46:03 +0000

Wow, Deb. I found your site last night and stayed up til 4 am perusing recipes… Is that sad? Some people are on the computer looking at porn all night… I drool over pecans, caramel, and shortbread…
I love you!

By: MuffinMom

MuffinMom — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 21:12:55 +0000

Yikes–I think I’m in love (don’t tell my husband!)

By: Diana

Diana — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:27:30 +0000

Hey, cool…I just found this post on a random google search for something else. I made these pecan squares for our Christmas dinner this year. I used a 2 inch tall baking sheet, so had no trouble with the spillage (I think Ina suggests lining the bottom of the oven with aluminum foil, but that may have been a late addition to the recipe added over time), and I also lined my baking sheet with parchment paper, which seemed to help pop them out. My main problem was that I, too, let the topping spill between the crust and the pan, which created an almost super-glue bond between the bars and the side of my pan. Next time I will either press the edges of my crust considerably higher in an attempt to prevent this (though the topping does bubble quite a bit, so I dunno), or cut the outside edge a 1/4 inch in from the actual edge so as to avoid the super-glue-like goop altogether. I lost my pan due to gouges in the sides from using too much knife pressure to will every ounce of the bar from those darn pans. lol.

By: louise

louise — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:14:41 +0000

deb do you think the base part of king arthor flour’s “Baltimore’s Finest” cookie might make the perfect base for this cookie too. what are your thoughts