Gooey Pecan Bars

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch pan.

To make the crust, cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer until butter becomes fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter about 1 cup at a time until it’s all incorporated. The dough will become sticky, so you may need to combine it with your hands (flour your hands first if you do).

Flour your hands and press the dough evenly into the greased pan, making lip around the outside edges. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove pan from oven, set it on a rack and allow to cool. Keep the oven on.

While the dough is cooling, make the topping. Combine the butter, honey, and brown sugar in a saucepan and cook over low heat until the butter is melted, stirring often. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Then remove pan from heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans.

Pour mixture over crust, starting in the middle and using a spatula to press it out to the edges. Do not let the topping flow over the edges of the crust! Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the topping is set. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Once pan has reached room temperature, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour to prevent the crust from crumbling while cutting. Then you can cut it. After cutting, store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Recipe slightly adapted from Ina Garten.