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Peabody in the sky with diamonds…and pecans…

When I moved to Washington state I was so excited at all the produce that was available. Arizona really has very little. Citrus and chili peppers. So imagine my surprise when I got an email asking me if I wanted a sample of pecans…from Arizona! That was something I needed to try. Up to this point I had only ever gotten my pecans from the south.
The Green Valley Pecans are smaller than my ones I get from Georgia, but seem to have more oil in them. So when they are toasted they had super pecan flavor, it was great. Which is why the recipe I chose to showcase them is so great, it calls for toasting the nuts. I wish I had known they were in Arizona when I lived there!
And did you know that pecans have been found to lower cholesterol? I did not. So the good news is, these Chocolate Pecan Diamonds are actually good for you. 😉 The original recipe called for cashews and semisweet chocolate, but I was making it for the milk chocolate and pecan lover of the family for his lunches. Be sure to use good chocolate for these as it will make a difference.
This might be the only post of the week. The dreaded Root Canal is on Wednesday and I figure I might be out of commission for a few days, I know Wednesday for sure. With the type of sedation medication I am going to be pretty out of it. I plan on unplugging the computer to avoid any unnecessary on line purchases. 🙂

Chocolate Pecan Diamonds

Pecan Dough

5 TBSP cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ -TBSP pieces, plus 1 TBSP melted to coat pan
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 large egg  yolks
½ cup unsalted pecans, toasted, and coarsely chopped

Pecan Filling

12 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into 1-TBSP pieces
2 cups dark brown sugar
¾ cup heavy cream
2/3 cup light corn syrup
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, cut into ¼-ounce pieces
2 cups unsalted pecans, toasted, and coarsely chopped
2 cups milk chocolate chips
10 ounces milk chocolate baking chocolate (I like Lenotre), coarsely chopped

To make the dough:
Preheat oven to 325F.
Coat a 9-x-13-inch pan with the melted butter.
Sift together flour and sugar and place in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Add the cold butter one piece at a time while mixing on low, until mealy in texture, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks and mix on low until the dough forms around the paddle, about 30 seconds.
Add the pecans and mix on low for 30 seconds.
Remove dough from the mixer and place it in prepared pan. Use hands to flatten the dough uniformly to cover the bottom of the baking pan.
Bake on the center rack of oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and set aside, leave the oven on.

To make the filling:

Bring butter, brown sugar, cream, and corn syrup to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the brown sugar. Boil for 3 minutes, until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk.
Remove from heat. Add the unsweetened chocolate and stir until the chocolate has melted.
Fold in the milk chocolate chips and pecans.
Pour filling onto baked dough. Using a spatula, spread evenly.
Bake on center rack for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees half way through.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the 10 ounces of milk chocolate over the surface.
Place pan back in oven for 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from oven, and use a spatula to smooth the chocolate. I choose to make a marbled effect since the chocolates were different shades of brown.
Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place in refrigerator for an hour.

To serve:
Remove from refrigerator. Turn the pan over onto a clean, dry, cutting surface, then turn the contents chocolate side up.
Using a sharp serrated knife, cut away 1/4-inch of the edge from the two narrower ends, then divide widthwise into 4 strips. Diagonally trim a 1/2-inch piece from each end of each strip, then cut the strip diagonally 3 times to form 4 uniformly sized diamonds form each strip.
The diamonds may be served immediately or kept at room temperature for 30 minutes. Best served at room temperature.
Keep in a tightly sealed plastic container in the refrigerator for several days.

Adapted from I’m Dreaming of a Chocolate Christmas by Marcel Desaulniers

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Comments

  11. Those look awesome! I’ll have to look for Arizona pecans next time we drive to Phoenix.

    Good luck at the root canal! My root canal was fine, it was the crown following the root canal that sucked for me. Hopefully it will all go well for you.

    Reply

  12. Lucky milk chocolate and pecan lover…he gets some real goodies with this one!
    Good luck with the root canal. Your cute fuzzy bunny and darling dog can keep you company. Just avoid the shopping chanel on TV, too. Hugs!

    Reply

  13. These look totally delicious! Man oh man. I love toasted pecans. I didn’t know Arizona had them either! Hope the root canal goes well and that you’re back in commission before you know it! I’ll be thinking of you.

    Reply

  14. Well, if they’re good for you, then bring them on then! They’re probably good for you based on the simple reason that they look really, really delicious anyway!

    Reply

  20. Oh my god YES, I’m so with you on the food community, and I know you’re not the only one who wants to invite everyone over for snacks sometime, because ME TOO. Strangely, I’m on the completely opposite coast and feel like I have the same problem. *sigh*

    I think the communal nature of food in general is to blame.

    Reply

  21. these look amazing, as usual… pecans are my alltime favourite nuts! i will most certainly try these. good luck with the treatment, i have not had one of those in over 20 years – fingers crossed (and no, i am NOT wearing dentures yet!… but i guess you wish you were at this point ;-)))

    Reply

  24. I feel better knowing the pecans are good for me.
    And they look so darn good too!

    Hope the R.C. goes OK. So sorry you have to go through it! x

    Reply

  28. What gorgeous bars! I’m sitting in a puddle of drool here.

    I hope all goes smoothly for the root canal and that your recovery period is short and sweet.

    Reply

  29. Ooh, Yum! Much of what I love, nuts and chocolate. We lived in Tucson for five years and there is a big grove of trees on the freeway from Tucson to Phoenix. Was always told those were pecans! I want some. 😉

    Reply

  32. I can relate to the root canal thing, but I can tell you that it really wasn’t that bad-and I had myself worked up into quite a frenzy about it. Honestly the toothache pain your going through is way worse than the root canal.

    Reply

  33. I pretty much love ALL nuts and am really digging this recipe where Pecans are the star (and not in a pecan pie). Thanks a lot for posting and I wish you luck wit your root canal.

    Reply

  34. I just discovered your blog and love it. I love to bake, but don’t get to do it too often, so I vicariously live through you.

    I have had two root canals, and honestly, they weren’t bad at all. Though I am the same person who had an abcess for months and never felt any pain or really noticed that anything was wrong.

    Reply

  39. How I’d kill for local pecans- They sound amazing! Especially in these bars, but can you get much better than pairing just about anything with chocolate and caramel? 🙂

    Reply

  43. Oh wow…those look like winners! Pecans and milk chocolate — sounds fantastic even to this dark chocolate lover! 🙂

    Good luck with the root canal!

    Reply

  45. Thank goodness I ate my 7-grain toast this morning already or I’d be scrounging around in my kitchen right now trying to whip these babies up. Jeez peabody.

    Reply

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