SALTED CHOCOLATE PECAN TOFFEE: National Pecan Day!

I love Pecans. They're filled with anti-oxidants, and they taste great. Add chocolate and carmel, and you have a winner. So since today is National Pecan Day (as opposed to Pecan Pie Day or Pecan Sandie Day), celebrate.

Several years ago I found a fabulous recipe in Sunset Magazine, December 2007, for Salted Chocolate Pecan Toffee. I've been a subscriber to Sunset for more years than some of you have been around, and they really test their recipes. This is a no-fail recipe that I've tweaked only slightly, and you'll love the results. Remember to use the freshest pecans and the best chocolate. If you have a pecan tree, that's even better! And, as always, experiment with different chocolate.

Too much work? Make Margaret Maron's Chocolate Covered Fried Pecans to celebrate the day!

SALTED CHOCOLATE PECAN TOFFEE

Ingredients
2 cups pecan halves
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
12 ounces DARK chocolate (65-75% cacao)
2 tsp fleur de sel or coarse sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Place pecans on rimmed baking sheet and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, chop roughly. Divide into 2 batches; chop 1 batch finely. Set both batches aside.

Put sugar, butter, salt, and 3/4 cup water in 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. When butter and sugar are melted, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is deep golden brown and measures 310° on a candy thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla (mixture bubbles up) and finely chopped pecans. Pour into a 10x15 rimmed baking sheet. Let toffee cool until set, at least 30 minutes.

Chop chocolate and put in medium metal bowl. Fill  8x10 frying pan with 1/2 inches water and bring to boil. Take off heat and put bowl of chocolate in water. Let sit about 5 minutes. Stir chocolate until melted. Pour over toffee, and with knife or spatula, spread evenly. Sprinkle chocolate with roughly chopped pecans. Let sit 20 minutes, or until chocolate is cool but still a bit soft. Sprinkle with fleur de sel. Chill until set, about 1 hour.
To remove, gently twist pan to release toffee, then chop or break into chunks.
Store in airtight container.

A warning from Sunset, and it's true.. be careful!
Use caution when working with sugar syrup, as it can cause severe burns. Set out your baking sheet so it's ready to use, and keep ice water nearby to cool any burns.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BARS: National Pecan Day

Today is National Pecan Day! Although there are so many ways to celebrate, I thought I'd return to a great recipe from the past. I love when I find recipes like this in the newspaper or magazine, or tucked in or on the back of the product! Here's a great Retro Recipe for Chocolate Pecan Bars. These are so easy to make, and I always have the ingredients in the pantry. Given that it's retro, I would upgrade with the very best cocoa, real butter, and pure vanilla.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BARS

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups unsifted flour
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup DARK Cocoa
1 cup cold butter
1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° (325° for glass dish).
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cocoa; cut in butter until crumbly (mixture will be dry). Press firmly on bottom of 13×9-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat sweetened condensed milk, egg, and vanilla; mix well. Stir in nuts. Spread evenly over crust.
Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars.
Store covered in refrigerator.

SALTED CHOCOLATE PECAN TOFFEE: National Pecan Day

I love Pecans. They're filled with anti-oxidants, and they taste great. Add chocolate and toffee, and you have a winner. So since today is National Pecan Day (as opposed to Pecan Pie Day or Pecan Sandie Day), celebrate.

Several years ago I found a fabulous recipe in Sunset Magazine, December 2007, for Salted Chocolate Pecan Toffee. I've been a subscriber to Sunset for more years than some of you have been around, and they really test their recipes. This is a no-fail recipe that I've tweaked only slightly, and you'll love the results. Remember to use the freshest pecans and the best chocolate. If you have a pecan tree, that's even better! And, as always, experiment with different chocolate.

Too much work? Make Margaret Maron's Chocolate Covered Fried Pecans.

SALTED CHOCOLATE PECAN TOFFEE

Ingredients
2 cups pecan halves
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
12 ounces DARK chocolate (65-75% cacao)
2 tsp fleur de sel or coarse sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Place pecans on rimmed baking sheet and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, chop roughly. Divide into 2 batches; chop 1 batch finely. Set both batches aside.

Put sugar, butter, salt, and 3/4 cup water in 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. When butter and sugar are melted, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is deep golden brown and measures 310° on a candy thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla (mixture bubbles up) and finely chopped pecans. Pour into a 10x15 rimmed baking sheet. Let toffee cool until set, at least 30 minutes.

Chop chocolate and put in medium metal bowl. Fill  8x10 frying pan with 1/2 inches water and bring to boil. Take off heat and put bowl of chocolate in water. Let sit about 5 minutes. Stir chocolate until melted. Pour over toffee, and with knife or spatula, spread evenly. Sprinkle chocolate with roughly chopped pecans. Let sit 20 minutes, or until chocolate is cool but still a bit soft. Sprinkle with fleur de sel. Chill until set, about 1 hour.
To remove, gently twist pan to release toffee, then chop or break into chunks.
Store in airtight container.

A warning from Sunset, and it's true.. be careful!
Use caution when working with sugar syrup, as it can cause severe burns. Set out your baking sheet so it's ready to use, and keep ice water nearby to cool any burns.

PECAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BRITTLE: National Pecan Day!

Today is National Pecan Day. You can make Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies or a Chocolate Pecan Pie, but for today's food holiday, I'm making Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle. Yum! This recipe first appeared in Southern Living in 2007 and is from Oxmoor House.

Who doesn't love a good cookie brittle? Crisp chocolate chip cookies that break into pieces after baking! You can change the taste of this cookie brittle with the type of chocolate mini-chips you use.

PECAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BRITTLE

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
1 cup pecan pieces, toasted
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Directions
Combine first 4 ingredients; set aside.
Stir together butter and next 3 ingredients in large bowl; add flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut. (Dough will look crumbly.)
Press dough evenly into lightly greased 15" x 10" jelly-roll pan, pressing almost to edges.
Bake at 350° for 19 minutes or until lightly browned and cookie "slab" seems crisp. Cool completely in pan.
Break cookie into pieces.

Note: You can toast pecan pieces and coconut in the same pan at 350° for 8 minutes.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BOURBON BUNDT CAKE: National Pecan Day!

I love Bundt cakes because they always look so pretty. I have lots of bundt pans, and almost anyone would be perfect for this cake. Given that today is National Pecan Day, I thought I'd post a recipe for Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Bundt Cake. It's slightly adapted from an older Betty Crocker recipe. As always, use the very best ingredients for the best cake. You can glaze or not... I prefer my bundt cakes plain, but the chocolate glaze is great--just add some chopped pecans on top!

CHOCOLATE PECAN BOURBON BUNDT CAKE

Ingredients 

Cake 
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
4 oz unsweetened chocolate (or 90% cacao chopped, melted, and cooled
1 cup chopped pecans

Chocolate Glaze 
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1 teaspoon butter
1 cup powdered sugar
5 to 6 teaspoons boiling water
chopped pecans

Directions 

Cake
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan
In large bowl, beat all Cake ingredients except pecans with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in pecans. Pour into pan.
Bake 60 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Glaze:
In 2-quart saucepan, melt 1 ounce chocolate and 1 teaspoon butter over low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in powdered sugar and water until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle cooled cake with Chocolate Glaze. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Photo: Betty Crocker

Salted Chocolate Pecan Toffee: National Pecan Day!

I love Pecans. They're filled with anti-oxidants, and they taste great. Add chocolate and toffee, and you have a winner. So since today is National Pecan Day (as opposed to Pecan Pie Day or Pecan Sandie Day), celebrate.

Several years ago I found a fabulous recipe in Sunset Magazine, December 2007, for Salted Chocolate Pecan Toffee. I've been a subscriber to Sunset for more years than some of you have been around, and they really test their recipes. This is a no-fail recipe that I've tweaked only slightly, and you'll love the results. Remember to buy the freshest pecans and the best chocolate. If you have a pecan tree, that's even better! And, as always, experiment with different chocolate.

Too much work? Make Margaret Maron's Chocolate Covered Fried Pecans.

SALTED CHOCOLATE PECAN TOFFEE

Ingredients
2 cups pecan halves
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
12 ounces DARK chocolate (65-75% cacao, fair-trade, organic)
2 tso fleur de sel or coarse sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Place pecans on rimmed baking sheet and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, chop roughly. Divide into 2 batches; chop 1 batch finely. Set both batches aside.

Put sugar, butter, salt, and 3/4 cup water in 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. When butter and sugar are melted, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is deep golden brown and measures 310° on a candy thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla (mixture bubbles up) and finely chopped pecans. Pour into a 10x15 rimmed baking sheet. Let toffee cool until set, at least 30 minutes.

Chop chocolate and put in medium metal bowl. Fill  8x10 frying pan with 1/2 inches water and bring to boil. Take off heat and put bowl of chocolate in water. Let sit about 5 minutes. Stir chocolate until melted. Pour over toffee, and with knife or spatula, spread evenly. Sprinkle chocolate with roughly chopped pecans. Let sit 20 minutes, or until chocolate is cool but still a bit soft. Sprinkle with fleur de sel. Chill until set, about 1 hour.
To remove, gently twist pan to release toffee, then chop or break into chunks.
Store in airtight container.

A warning from Sunset, and it's true.. be careful!
Use caution when working with sugar syrup, as it can cause severe burns. Set out your baking sheet so it's ready to use, and keep ice water nearby to cool any burns.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Pecan Tarts: Gluten-free

Today is National Pecan Day! I always search specific food company sites and associations for good recipes about their products. I found this recipe on the Diamond Nuts website. These Salted Caramel Chocolate Pecan Tarts are Gluten-free and perfect for Passover, too.

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE PECAN TARTS

Tarts 
3/4 cup Diamond of California® chopped pecans
1 cup almond flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon gluten-free baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
4 Tbsp coconut oil or cold butter
3 Tbsp 100% pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp flax meal
3 Tbsp water or 1 egg

Caramel Sauce 
3 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 Tbsp coconut cream
1/8 tsp sea salt

Chocolate Sauce
2 Tbsp coconut cream
3 Tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Spray mini muffin tin with organic cooking spray.
Place pecans in food processor and process until you have coarse flour.
Add almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, coconut oil, maple syrup, flax, water or egg, and vanilla and pulse until a ball of dough forms. Press dough into mini muffin tin. Press down to make sure of an even layer. Bake for 12-15 minutes until middle is set.
While these are baking, prepare caramel sauce. Place coconut sugar and coconut cream in small saucepan. Continue to stir until melted and completely smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and add salt. Stir again. Set aside.
Prepare chocolate sauce by placing coconut cream in small saucepan. Continue to stir until melted. Add chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate) and stir until completely smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat.
Once tarts are finished baking, take spoon and press down center to form indent. Gently spoon caramel sauce into center of each tart, then spoon chocolate sauce on top of caramel sauce. Top with  tiny bit of extra sea salt and finely chopped pecans.
Place in refrigerator for at least an hour until set.

Chocolate Pecan Bars: Retro Advertisement & Recipe

Today is National Pecan Day! So many ways to celebrate, but I thought I'd return to a great recipe from the past. I love when I find recipes like this in the newspaper, tucked in the product, or in a magazine! Here's a great Retro Recipe for Chocolate Pecan Bars. This is so easy to make, and I always have the ingredients in the pantry. Given that it's retro, I would upgrade with the very best Cocoa, real butter, and Madagascar vanilla.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BARS
(Makes 24 to 36 bars)

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups unsifted flour
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup DARK Cocoa
1 cup cold butter
1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 egg
2 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° (325° for glass dish).
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and cocoa; cut in butter until crumbly (mixture will be dry). Press firmly on bottom of 13×9-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat sweetened condensed milk, egg and vanilla; mix well. Stir in nuts. Spread evenly over crust.
Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars.
Store covered in refrigerator.

Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle

Today is National Pecan Day. You can make Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies or a Chocolate Pecan Pie, but for today's holiday, I decided to post this recipe for Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle. Yum! This recipe is from MyRecipes.com. It first appeared in Southern Living in 2007 and was from Oxmoor House. This Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle is great for holiday giving, but really you can make an enjoy this any time. Who doesn't love a cookie brittle? Crisp chocolate chip cookies that break into pieces after baking! You can change the taste of this cookie brittle with the type of chocolate mini-chips you use.

PECAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BRITTLE

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate mini chips
1 cup pecan pieces, toasted
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Directions
Combine first 4 ingredients; set aside.
Stir together butter and next 3 ingredients in large bowl; add flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut. (Dough will look crumbly.)
Press dough evenly into lightly greased 15" x 10" jelly-roll pan, pressing almost to edges.
Bake at 350° for 19 minutes or until lightly browned and cookie "slab" seems crisp. Cool completely in pan. Break cookie into pieces.
Note: You can toast pecan pieces and coconut in the same pan at 350° for 8 minutes.

National Pecan Day: Chocolate-Pecan Crust & Chocolate Pecan Pies

Today is National Pecan Day.

Over the past year, I posted four great recipes for Chocolate Pecan Pies:


1. Chocolate Chunk Pecan Pie posted for Mardi Gras, but it's great any time! 
2. August 20 was National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day, and I posted a Chocolate Pecan Pie that was an adaptation of Derby Pie. 
3. & 4. Two Derby Pie recipes last Derby Day.

Make one or all of them to celebrate National Pecan Day today!

I came across this video awhile back, and I think it's fabulous. It's for a Raw Chocolate-Pecan Crust? Check out Chaya Ryvka's video on 5minLife Videopedia. Great ideas and instructions. You can also make cookies and bars from this recipe.

How to Make Raw Chocolate-Pecan Crust