Caramel Pecan Pie Bars are my absolute favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving day! I LOVE Pecan Pie. I mean, LOVE IT. It is my favorite of all pies and in the top three desserts of all time in my book. Then there is caramel. Another dessert star in my book. She’s definitely a leading lady.
Add Pecan Pie and Caramel together and you have yourself this indulgent dessert with a buttery flavor dairy-free, gluten-free shortbread crust, a creamy caramel center that is dairy-free, and crunch from the pecans. I mean…Does it get any better?
I limit myself to eating them once a year. Otherwise, I am not sure that I would be able to restrain myself and would end up gaining many caramel pecan pie bar pounds.
I make the one recipe and the lord willing, I get to have multiple servings. This does not always work when I am hosting Thanksgiving. Annnnnnddddddd….that is why I have a large dessert display and hope my caramel pecan pie bars are the least favorite dessert on the table. It is all too selfish.
METHOD
Shortbread
Pulse gluten-free all-purpose and almond flours, shortening, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor until the ingredients come together. This mixture will look like a loose dough, resembling sand. Place the dough into a greased, lined 9×13-inch baking dish, pressing the dough flat and evenly throughout the bottom of the pan. Bake the shortbread for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown. Pull from the oven and set aside while preparing the caramel filling.
Caramel Filling
In a medium to large-sized mixing bowl mix the eggs, 1/4 cup of sugar, and vanilla extract together. Then, set aside.
Next, in a large heavy saucepan combine 2-cups of sugar, lemon juice, and water. Before placing on the heat, stir the wet and dry ingredients with a fork, ensuring the sugar is completely mixed into the water. On medium heat, cook the sugar mixture, swirling the pot around until the mixture turns into a rich caramel color, about 5-8 minutes. Once the color is achieved, pour the coconut milk very carefully into the saucepan. Just after it starts to bubble, this will happen quickly since you are adding a room-temperature liquid to a boiling hot liquid, whisk the hot sugar caramel and coconut milk together. Turn off the heat. Whisk in the coconut oil and salt. Pour the caramel into a 2-cup heat-resistant measuring cup.
Now, you’ll combine the egg and sugar mixture with the hot caramel. This is a very delicate process. First, the egg mixture will need to be tempered preventing the eggs from cooking and making scrambled eggs.
While you are whisking the egg mixture slowly start to pour the caramel mixture into the eggs. Once the mixtures are combined, grab the baking pan and put the pecan pieces into the dish covering the shortbread. Pour the filling over the pecans, covering them. The pecans will float to the top. When the mixture covers the pecans, the pecan keeps from burning.
Bake & Serve
Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a tester comes out clean or the filling no longer jiggles after doing a touch test.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. This may take up to 3-4 hours.
Finally, it is time to serve. Unmold the Caramel Pecan Bars. Cut into 12 pieces 3 x 4. Plate the bars and serve with a dollop of dairy-free whipped topping. Time to eat!!!
¡Buen Provecho!
Caramel Pecan Pie Bars
Description
Caramel Pecan Pie Bars are a sweet nutty, buttery-flavored sheet pan pie that features a wonderful salted caramel filling and lightly sweetened crumbly shortbread crust.
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
Caramel Filling
Instructions
Shortbread
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees convection and 350 degrees conventional.
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Pulse gluten-free all-purpose and almond flours, shortening, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor until the ingredients come together. This mixture will look like a loose dough, resembling sand.
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Place the dough into a greased, lined 9x13-inch baking dish, pressing the dough flat and evenly throughout the bottom of the pan.
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Bake the shortbread for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown. Pull from the oven and set aside while preparing the caramel filling.
Caramel Filling
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In a medium to large-sized heat-resistant mixing bowl mix the eggs, 1/4 cup of sugar, and vanilla extract together. Set aside in a cool place.
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In a large heavy saucepan combine 2-cups of sugar, lemon juice, and water. Stir the wet and dry ingredients with a fork, ensuring the sugar is completely mixed into the water before placing it on heat.
On medium heat, cook the sugar mixture, swirling the pot around until the mixture turns into a rich caramel color, about 5-8 minutes or 320 degrees on a candy thermometer.
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Once the color and/or temperature is achieved, pour the coconut milk very carefully into the saucepan.
Just after it starts to bubble, this will happen quickly since you are adding a room-temperature liquid to a boiling hot liquid, whisk the hot sugar caramel and coconut milk together.
Turn off the heat.
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Whisk in the coconut oil and salt until combined. Pour the caramel into a 2-cup heat-resistant measuring cup.
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Combining the Caramel and Egg Mixture
Temper the egg mixture with the caramel by pouring about a 1/4 cup of the hot caramel into the egg and sugar mixture while continually whisking rapidly. Once combined, repeat, and pour another 1/4 cup of the caramel into the egg mixture. After the mixture is incorporated pour the remaining caramel into the bowl, continually whisking. Set aside.
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Put your pecan pieces into the baking dish covering the shortbread.
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Pour the filling over the pecans, covering them. The pecans will float to the top.
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Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the filling is firm when jiggled or the toothpick comes out clean.
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Allow to cool and serve.
