Maple and Pecan Squares with a Cinnamon Biscuit Base

By Melikeyuk

Maple and Pecan Squares with a Cinnamon Biscuit Base

While the world and and his wife are having a crack at baking Hot Cross Buns or sponges adorned with Easter eggs and the ominipresent Easter Bunny, I’ve been baking something completely different for Easter. That’s right, I did say baking. The problem, however was finding something that if made, would be easily consumed. I’m fairly fussy when it comes to sweet things, and my other half tends to be ten times worse (I suppose that’s what happens when you are brought up in Paris and every fourth shop is either a boulangerie or a pâtisserie filled with the finest  “tartes” or viennoiserie. Becoming accustomed to such fine food, can make you a bit more picky when alternatives are on offer). However, the old gray matter fed me an idea.

When I worked in Canary Wharf, I would pop out for lunch and grab a quick sandwich or soup but I would always be craving sugar come 4-5pm. Quite often I would work until 9pm and so my blood sugar level would plummet and I relied on something sweet just to power me through the remainder of the working day. My fuel came in the form of  Pret a Manger’s Pecan Pie. It did the job every time. Do you know it? I’m pleased to say my husband, is also partial to the odd slice so I was headed in the right direction. I’ve read that Pecan pie has it’s origins with the French settlers of New Orleans but I’m not sure if there is any truth in this story!

It wasn’t until after baking these that I remembered from Katharine’s blog that Pret actually have an e-book  documenting a few of their recipes which I think is really good-spirited of them. I had to laugh when I looked at the ingredient list – it was so different to my own! I suppose the main differences are that they use golden syrup, eggs and cornstarch. I use maple syrup and coconut cream and I add cinnamon to the base.

This recipe makes 16 small -ish squares. Eating one will put a spring in your step.

Maple and Pecan Sweetness ovenbound!

Print Maple and Pecan Squares with a Cinnamon Biscuit Base

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Serving Size: Makes 16 squares

A delicious interpretation of the traditional Pecan Pie in bite size pieces.

Ingredients

    Biscuit Base
  • 130g of plain flour
  • 85g of slightly salted butter, cut into cubes
  • 55g of densely packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon
    • Topping
  • 2 tbsp of coconut cream (single cream can be used instead)
  • 1 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 3.5 tbsp of maple syrup
  • 70g of slightly salted butter, melted
  • 70g of densely packed brown sugar
  • 100g of pecans, roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C
    2. Making the Biscuit Base
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the sieved flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Add the cubes of butter to the bowl and work with your fingers. A crumb-like texture should form.
  4. Get a non-stick baking tin (I used a 20cm x 20cm metal tin) and place the mixture inside. Use the back of a tablespoon to pat down the surface so that it is nicely compacted.
  5. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until a golden brown color is achieved.
  6. Remove from the oven, (keeping the oven on) and leave to the side.
    7. Topping
  7. Place the butter in a non stick pan and melt it over a low heat.
  8. Take the pan off the heat and add brown sugar to the melted butter. Use a whisk or a fork to mix the ingredients together. To this mixture, add vanilla extract, maple syrup and coconut cream. Stir it all together.
  9. Lastly add the chopped pecans and combine them with the mixture.
  10. Place the pan back on the heat and allow the mixture to bubble and thicken. This should be for about 60 seconds but be careful not to burn it.
  11. Pour the syrupy mixture onto the biscuit base ensuring the pecan nuts are equally dispersed.
  12. Place back in the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes.
  13. When ready, remove from the oven and leave to cool down before cutting and serving

Notes

The size of these squares makes them even more irresistible! If you are not a fan of cinnamon, just omit it from the biscuit base mixture.

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Maple and Pecan Squares with a Cinnamon Biscuit Base

I’m always paranoid about tarts, cakes and biscuits tasting very buttery but the base was just right and the spicy notes provided by the cinnamon brought a warm comforting sensation. And the finished article? Really delicious! Within an hour of making them, we had already gone through a quarter of the batch. I suspect the remaining ones will not be around for long!

Having had a tour around some websites and food blogs there is some really inspired cooking and baking for Easter.

I spotted this recipe for  Jerusalem Artichoke and Vanilla soup with Scallops. I’m sure that would be a lovely way to mark the beginning of Easter Sunday Lunch.

Most people have a traditional roast at Easter and I thought Dom‘s Roast Lamb with Honey, Rosemary, Garlic and Granola Crust was worth drooling over.

Giulia over at Jul’s Kitchen has prepared her own Tiramisu in an Eggshell. Clever presentation I thought!

A few brave people have had a crack at making their own Easter eggs including Greg who mastered an engineering project when he constructed this 80 kg chocolate egg. What a belter!

Have you been baking or cooking anything to celebrate Easter? Please let me know in the comments below!

Hope you all have a very Happy Easter!

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