Pumpkin-Pecan Squares
- Ready In:
- 1hr 45mins
- Ingredients:
- 23
- Yields:
-
24 bars
- Serves:
- 12
ingredients
-
For the pastry
- 18 tablespoons unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature (2 sticks plus 2 tb, 255 gms)
- 3⁄4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed (165 gms)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (290 gms)
- 1 cup cake flour (145 gms)
-
For the filling
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
- 3⁄4 cup sugar (150g gms)
- 2 eggs (100 gms)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-
For the Topping
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (217 gms)
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans or 1 cup walnuts (4-6 oz)
-
garnish
- 1⁄4 cup demerara sugar
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 dash pure vanilla extract
directions
- Optional- substitute 2 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice in lieu of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
- Optional- substitute 3 cups (435 gms) of bleached all-purpose flour for the unbleached& cake flours.
- Line a 9x13 aluminum baking pan with heavy duty foil.
- Leave 2-3 inches of foil sticking out of the pan on the short sides to aid in lifting the finished product out of the pan.
- FOR THE PASTRY: In a small bowl or plastic bag measure and mix flours and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (can be done with a hand mixer), mix the butter, vanilla extract and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add flours 1 cup at a time, on medium speed, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition.
- Continue mixing until the dough begins to come together in large clumps.
- Press dough into prepared pan about 1/4-inch thick.
- Prick the pastry with the tines of a fork or a wooden skewer.
- Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
- While the pastry is resting, Place rack in center of oven.
- Preheat to 375 degrees F.
- Spread nuts on a cookie sheet and roast for 5-10 minutes, unitl hot and aromatic (do not burn them!) Allow to cool Bake pastry until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
- HAVE FILLING READY WHEN CRUST COMES OUT OF OVEN.
- Lower oven temp to 350 degrees.
- FOR THE FILLING: Mix spices, salt and sugar in a small bowl, whisk to combine.
- Whisk pumpkin, eggs, yolks, extract, evaporated milk in a large bowl until smooth.
- Slowly add sugar/spice mix and beat until well combined.
- Pour over HOT crust.
- Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until just set and still jiggles in the center.
- HAVE TOPPING READY WHEN BARS COME OUT OF OVEN.
- FOR THE TOPPING: Combine topping ingredients, when filling has set remove bars from oven and evenly sprinkle topping over filling.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, you just want the topping to be browned and about 1/2 melted The filling may start to crack and get a bit puffy.
- Cool on a wire rack for several hours, refrigerate overnight, remove from pan, cut into 24 squares, sprinkle sugar on bars.
- Keep in refigerator until ready to serve with a dollup of slightly sweetened whipped cream.
Questions & Replies
Got a question?
Share it with the community!
Reviews
-
This was good. It tasted like pumpkin pie. The 26 step instructions made it very confusing and difficult to follow. I got so lost I ended up opening a can of sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk. After I realized my mistake I left out the addition of sugar to even out the sweetness of the milk and it turned out pretty good.
Tweaks
-
This was good. It tasted like pumpkin pie. The 26 step instructions made it very confusing and difficult to follow. I got so lost I ended up opening a can of sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk. After I realized my mistake I left out the addition of sugar to even out the sweetness of the milk and it turned out pretty good.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Steve_G
Fort Myers, Florida