Birthday Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

I figured I’d celebrate my Birthday today by posting an awesome recipe I have adapted from Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide. I usually never go off a recipe unless I’m baking a dessert or making something someone asked me to make from a recipe they found, I can never stick to them verbatim though I always “throw” something else in 😉 I’m not a huge “cake” fan in fact at our wedding we had cobbler because we don’t favor cake 🙂  I made these last week for one of Evan’s co-workers, Lori, for her birthday (he did help a bit in case anyone was wondering ; ) ) and they were so good. I ate WAY to many, I even found myself eating them for breakfast…! I’m 28 years old today and feel great!!! I’m still wondering where all this time goes though… Life is good!

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars (adapted from Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide and Elephant Eats)

Prep: 20 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Makes: 40 -45 bars

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp sea salt, and more for end
• 1 1/2 cups corn syrup
• 4 ounces dark chocolate
• 4 eggs
• 1 ounce bourbon
• 1 ounce cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups chopped Texas pecans

Instructions:

1. Grease bottom and sides of 15″x10″x1″ baking dish or two smaller pans.
2. In a stand mixer on medium, beat flour, 1/2 C. sugar, butter and salt until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 20 min.
3. Meanwhile, in a three-quart pan, stir corn syrup and chocolate on low until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in maple syrup, bourbon, remainder of sugar, eggs and pecans. Pour filling over hot crust and bake at 350 until firm around edges but slightly soft in center, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt.
5. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

 Enjoy and Cheers!