I have made a lot of versions of pecan pies and bars over the years and this one truly combines the best of all! These start with a crumbly buttery cookie base made with brown sugar and ground pecans. The topping is jam-packed with layers of flavor… not only from the pecans (duh), but also chunks of dark chocolate accented by rich espresso powder, browned butter (accidental but oh, so good!) and a big shot of bourbon because why not? It’s the holidays!
Every year I make a holiday dessert on the grill. Not because it has to be made that way, but because oven space is always at a premium during the holidays. Your grill can act as a secondary oven just by employing the indirect heat method of grilling. These decadent Pecan Chocolate Bars can be made in a conventional oven as well; the oven temperature is listed as a guide for heating your grill.
- For the base:
- 2 cups flour
- 1½ cups dark brown sugar
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- :
- For the topping:
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons melted (browned) butter, cooled
- 2 tablespoon bourbon or whiskey
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ cups chopped pecans
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- Set up and preheat grill for indirect grilling with medium to medium-low heat (350°F). Butter or grease a metal or aluminum 9" x 13" baking pan and line with kitchen parchment.
- Add flour, brown sugar, pecans, and salt to a food processor fitted with a metal bade and blitz until well combined and the pecans have ground into the mix. Add the butter and pulse to completely blend the butter into the flour and the mixture starts to pull from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer cookie base into your prepared pan and press crumbs into an even layer. Place pan on grate over unlit burners, close grill cover and bake with indirect heat (no heat source directly under the pan) for 20 minutes, rotating pan front to back halfway through for even cooking. Remove and cool completely before adding topping.
- To make the topping, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the remaining ingredients, except the pecans and chocolate, until well combined. Stir in the pecans and chocolate. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture over the cooled cookie base. Return to preheated grill, close cover and bake with indirect heat until set at the center - about 25 to 35 minutes total depending on your particular grill and the temperature outside. Again, rotate front to back halfway through for even cooking.
- Remove and let cool completely before cutting and removing from the pan.
Cheers and Happy Grilling!
~ Jeff
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