Coconut Pecan Sweet And Salty Bars Recipes

COCONUT PECAN BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, salt and baking powder; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in coconut and pecans (batter will be thick). , Spread into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars.

SWEET AND SALTY CRUNCHY NUT BARS

Steps:

• Be still my beating heart! Or perhaps this is not the best thing to say here, given the likelihood of this lusciously over-the-top piece of chocolate excess inducing just such an outcome. I wouldn't want to make this very often, so impossible is it to walk away from with any conviction. I fear it is the kitchen equivalent to crack cocaine.
• Still, as the French say "Everything in moderation, even moderation." This is gloriously intemperate, riotously vulgar. I love it.
• The key is the blaring balance between sweet and salty: it's like several klaxons going off in your head as you eat. And it's strange that while I would normally eschew an all-milk chocolate offering, I prefer it here to the bittersweet-and-milk mixed version. Not that either is bad, and since the jury is matched on this, I feel it only right to alert you to either option. For what it's worth, I like the darker version in the round pan and cut into panforte-type skinny wedges, and my preferred milk chocolate version set in a rectangular pan and cut into chunky, squat slabs (rather as I feel and look like after eating too many of them).
• Line your springform pan with aluminum foil or use a foil pan.
• Break up or chop the chocolate into pieces, and drop into a heavy-based saucepan. Add the butter and syrup, put on a low heat, and melt gently together.
• Tip the peanuts into a bowl, and crush the honeycomb candy with your hands, letting the golden-glinting rubble fall into the nuts.
• Take the melted chocolate mixture off the heat and stir in the peanuts and crushed honeycomb candy, then tip straight into the springform pan or foil pan. Smooth the top of the mixture as much as you can, pressing down with a silicon spatula or vinyl-disposable-gloved hand. Put into the refrigerator for about 4 hours, and once set, cut into slices as desired.
• Make Ahead Note: The bars can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer slices to airtight container, layered with parchment paper, and store in refrigerator. Keeps for 3 to 4 days.

COCONUT-PECAN BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Stir in 1 cup flour. Pat in bottom of ungreased square pan, 9x9x2 inches. Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until very light brown.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat eggs slightly with wire whisk. Stir in vanilla. Gradually beat in brown sugar just until blended. Beat in 2 tablespoons flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt; mix well. Stir in coconut and pecans. Carefully spoon coconut mixture evenly over baked layer.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and filling is set. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around edges of pan to loosen. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.