Maple Pecan Squares

Submitted by Lennie

"I have not yet tried this, but it is from an overdue library book (From Our Mothers' Kitchens) and I want to return the book tomorrow, so need to get the recipes I want to try copied down, pronto. I am a big fan of maple syrup and am convinced these squares will be delicious. According to Anita Stewart, the author of the book, this recipe is several generations old."

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Yields: 24 squares

ingredients

• Base

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened

• Topping

• 2⁄3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup maple syrup (preferably dark maple syrup)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup pecan halves

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F; have ready an ungreased 9-inch square cake pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar, rub in butter to make coarse crumbs.
3. Pat evenly and firmly into pan and bake for 5 minutes; remove from oven and set aside.
4. Increase oven temperature to 425F.
5. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and maple syrup and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes, then let cool for 10 minutes.
7. Pour this syrup mixture into a mixing bowl and whisk in the eggs, vanilla and flour until smooth, then stir in pecans.
8. Pour over base, return pan to oven, and bake for 10 minutes.
9. Reduce heat to 350F and continue to bake until firm, about 15 more minutes.

Reviews

[TexasKelly]

I made this last night, and was kind of dissappointed. The cookie type layer on the bottom was ok, but a bit too floury tasting. The layer on top was very watery, and even though you would think that maple syrup and brown sugar mixed together would have a nice taste, it really didn't have much of a taste at all. With the pecans I also threw in some leftover butterscotch chips I had, and this improved the taste a little bit. After it was cooked, the top layer was kind of gross looking, and when i tasted a peice, it tasted like eating a cookie with carmel popcorn on the top, minus the popcorn. They weren't terrible or anything, but i like a bar cookie with more of a thick consistency.