Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• Extra pecan halves, for placing on top of the bars

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8x8-inch square baking pan, metal or glass, and line it with parchment, covering the base and at least 2 sides so the finished bars can come out without drama. I like using one big sheet-pan-size piece and tucking it into the corners, which lets you pull the whole slab out at once and keeps the sticky filling away from the pan.
2. Make the crust by pulsing the flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor until everything comes together in a sandy mixture. Keep processing until the texture changes from loose crumbs to clumps; you’ll hear the machine shift from a sharper whir to more of a low rumble.
3. When the crust mixture has gathered into clumps, move it into the prepared pan. Press it into a firm, even layer across the bottom. Prick the surface all over with a fork, then bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is evenly light to medium golden brown.
4. For the filling, put the chopped pecans in a mixing bowl and leave them there for a minute. In the same food processor bowl you used for the crust, no washing required, add the brown sugar, flour, salt, eggs, vanilla bean paste, and corn syrup, adding the corn syrup last so it does not settle and stick to the bottom. Pulse until the mixture is fully blended, then pour it over the chopped pecans and fold everything together.
5. When the crust is done, take it out of the oven and lower the heat to 350 degrees F. Spoon and scrape the pecan filling over the hot crust, then arrange a few extra pecan halves on top for decoration. Put the pan back in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the middle is barely set. If the center still wobbles, bake it a few more minutes; if the bars begin to puff in the middle, pull them out right away.
6. Let the bars cool completely on a rack before you lift them from the pan. Cut them into 2x2-inch squares and serve. For 2 to 3 days, keep the bars at room temperature in an airtight container.