Pecan-Toffee Shortbread

Ingredients

  • 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 15 minutes).
  2. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Stir together brown sugar and cornstarch; gradually add to butter, beating at low speed until well blended. Stir together flour and salt; gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Add vanilla and 1 cup pecans, beating at low speed just until blended.
  3. Turn dough out onto a lightly greased baking sheet; pat or roll dough into an 11- x 14-inch rectangle, leaving at least a 1-inch border on all sides of baking sheet.
  4. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet to a wire rack; sprinkle shortbread with chocolate morsels. Let stand 5 minutes; gently spread melted morsels over shortbread. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup pecans, and let cool completely (about 1 hour). Cut or break shortbread into 2- to 3-inch pieces.

Chocolate-Pecan-Caramel-Apples
White and semi-sweet chocolate combine to give these caramel apples a unique flavor, while pecans add a satisfying crunch.

Ingredients

  • 1 11-ounce package KRAFT Caramels
  • 5 apples, washed, well dried
  • 2 ounces White Chocolate
  • 1 ounce BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Preparation

  1. Melt caramels as directed on package.
  2. Coat apples with caramel as directed on package. Do not refrigerate.
  3. Melt white chocolate with semi-sweet chocolate as directed on package; mix well. Drizzle over apples. Press nuts into chocolate.
  4. Refrigerate 1 hour or until caramel is firm.

Caramel-Bug-Candies

Ingredients

  • 24 thin chocolate wafer cookies
  • 1 1/4 cups pecan pieces
  • 1 bag (14 oz) caramels, unwrapped
  • 2 tablespoons whipping cream
  • 48 pecan halves (1 1/4 cups)
  • 24 strands rice stick noodles

Preparation

  1. Line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. Place 12 wafer cookies on each cookie sheet. Arrange 6 pecan pieces around each cookie to make 3 legs per side.
  2. In medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and whipping cream uncovered on High 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Spoon melted caramel over cookies and pecan pieces to form oval shapes.
  3. Place 2 pecan halves on center of each caramel-coated cookie for wings.
  4. Break rice stick noodles into 1 1/2-inch pieces; press into head end of each candy to form antennae. Let stand until set, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Quick-and-Easy-Ways-with-Pecans
Pecans are a wonderful fall ingredient, whether in a tasty pecan pie or in a sweet praline. But we have created new recipes to use pecans for all courses from appetizers all the way to dessert.

Easy Pecan Recipes

Pecan-Cheese Crisps

Preheat oven to 400°. Stir together 1 1⁄2 cups (6 oz.) freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and 3⁄4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans in a small bowl. Spoon cheese mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, forming mounds. Flatten each into a 2-inch round, creating an even thickness. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool 15 minutes or until crisp. Store between layers of wax paper in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Preheat oven to 375°. Stir together 1 (14-oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped; 1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained; 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened; 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 1 cup chopped toasted pecans; 1⁄2 cup each sour cream and mayonnaise; 2 garlic cloves, pressed; and 1⁄2 tsp. ground red pepper in a medium bowl. Spoon spinach mixture into a shallow 1 1⁄2-qt. baking dish; top with an additional 1⁄2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Serve with pita chips.

Honey-Pecan Butterscotch Sauce

Bring 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, 1⁄2 cup butter, 1⁄4 cup milk, and 1⁄4 cup honey to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; boil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool 30 minutes. Stir in 3⁄4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans. Serve over hot apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream.

Jalapeño-Pecan Mustard Butter

Stir together 1 cup softened butter; 1⁄3 cup finely chopped toasted pecans; 2 Tbsp. minced red onion; 3 Tbsp. Creole mustard; 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced; and 1 garlic clove, pressed, in a small bowl. Spread on hot biscuits filled with ham or on a grilled flank steak sandwich, toss with oven-roasted new potatoes, or stir into hot cooked stone-ground grits. Store, covered, in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Pecan Quesadilla

Sprinkle 1 side of 1 (8-inch) soft taco-size flour tortilla with 1⁄3 cup (1 1⁄2 oz.) shredded Havarti cheese and 2 Tbsp. chopped toasted pecans. Fold in half over filling. Cook quesadilla in a lightly greased skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes on each side or until cheese melts and tortilla is golden brown. Cut into wedges, and serve with pear preserves.

Pecan-Chutney Cheese Spread

Process 2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened; 1 (9-oz.) jar mango chutney; 1 Tbsp. curry powder; and 1⁄2 tsp. dry mustard in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Stir in 1⁄4 cup minced green onions and 1 cup each finely chopped toasted pecans and toasted sweetened flaked coconut. Transfer to a large bowl; cover and chill 24 hours. Shape cheese mixture into 2 (6-inch) logs. Stir together 1 cup chopped toasted pecans and 1⁄2 cup chopped fresh parsley in a shallow dish; roll logs in pecan mixture. Serve with gingersnaps, sliced Gala apples and Bartlett pears, and assorted crackers.

Pecan-Crusted Tilapia

Process 1⁄2 cup pecan halves in a food processor until finely chopped. Sprinkle 4 (6-oz.) tilapia fillets with 1 1⁄2 tsp. seasoned salt and 1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground pepper. Dredge fish in finely chopped pecans. Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add fish, and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until well browned and fish flakes with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges.

Pecan Clusters

Preheat oven to 300°. Toss 3 cups coarsely chopped pecans with 3 Tbsp. melted butter; spread in a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Microwave 6 (2-oz.) chocolate candy coating squares in a 1-qt. microwave-safe glass bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 2 to 3 minutes or until melted. Stir in pecans and 1 1⁄2 cups chopped chocolate-coated caramels. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper; let stand 30 minutes or until chocolate hardens. Note: We tested with Rolo Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate.

Bacon-Wrapped Figs

Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together 1 (4-oz.) goat cheese log, softened, and 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil. Cut 6 large fresh figs in half lengthwise. Place 1 heaping teaspoonful goat cheese mixture and 1 toasted pecan half on cut side of each fig half. Wrap 1 ready-to-serve bacon slice around each fig half, and secure with a wooden pick. Place figs on a wire rack in a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan, and bake 6 to 8 minutes or until bacon is crisp and browned. Note: We tested with Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon.


Pecan-Pralines
This delectable Louisiana brittle candy dates back to 1750. Originally pralines were made with almonds–the preferred nut of the French–and was considered an aid to digestion at the end of the meal. However, the Creoles quickly found a better alternative in the abundant pecan and replaced the white sugar with brown. Today it’s considered one of the paramount sweets in the South. In New Orleans, it used to be a tradition for young women to make pralines before going to a ball and then enjoy them with friends (and beaux) at their homes afterward.

Be sure to use a heavy Dutch oven and a candy thermometer, and make pralines on a day when the weather is dry—humidity can make them grainy.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups pecan halves and pieces
  • 3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Wax paper

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 15 minutes).
  2. Meanwhile, bring brown sugar and next 3 ingredients to a boil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 236° (soft ball stage). Remove sugar mixture from heat.
  3. Let sugar mixture stand until candy thermometer reaches 150° (20 to 25 minutes). Stir in vanilla and pecans using a wooden spoon; stir constantly 1 to 2 minutes or just until mixture begins to lose its gloss. Quickly drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto wax paper; let stand until firm (10 to 15 minutes).

TRY THESE TWISTS!

Chocolate-Pecan Pralines: Prepare as directed through Step 2. Add 2 (1-ounce) unsweetened chocolate baking squares to sugar mixture. (Do not stir.) Proceed as directed in Step 3.

Café au Lait Pecan Pralines: Add 2 Tablespoon s instant coffee granules with brown sugar in Step 2.

Bourbon-Pecan Pralines: Add 1/4 cup bourbon with brown sugar in Step 2.


Pecan-Toffee

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 5 (1.55-ounce) milk chocolate bars, broken into small pieces

Preparation

  1. Line a 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil; lightly grease foil. Sprinkle with 1 cup pecans to within 1 inch of edges.
  2. Bring sugar, butter, and 1/3 cup water to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 12 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 310° (hard crack stage). Pour over pecans; sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Let stand 30 seconds.
  3. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup pecans. Chill 30 minutes. Break up toffee using a mallet or rolling pin. Store in an airtight container.