Acacia Honey Pecan Pie Bars with Brown Butter & Ibiza Fleur de Sel

At the Lello table

Pecan pie belongs to the American holiday table; these smaller bars take the idea in a more considered direction. Brown butter gives the shortbread depth, while French acacia honey makes a mellow, golden filling without corn syrup. The final few crystals of Ibiza fleur de sel lift the richness, rather than making the bars taste overtly salty.

Method

1. For the crust, melt the 1/2 cup / 113 g butter over medium heat, swirling occasionally until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell of toasted hazelnuts. Transfer immediately to a bowl to stop the browning and let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk the flour, powdered sugar and fine salt in a mixing bowl. Stir in the cooled brown butter until evenly moistened. If the mixture refuses to hold when pressed, add the cold water a teaspoon at a time, just until crumbly clumps form.
3. Press firmly and evenly into the parchment-lined pan. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until the edges begin to turn golden. Leave the oven on.
4. Meanwhile, brown the 1/4 cup / 57 g butter for the filling in a small saucepan until amber and nutty. Transfer to a bowl and allow it to cool until warm rather than hot.
5. Whisk in the brown sugar, acacia honey and heavy cream until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and fine salt. Fold through the pecans.
6. Spread the filling evenly over the still-warm shortbread. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are set and the middle gives a slight wobble but no longer looks liquid. If browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
7. Cool on a rack for about 45 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set the filling fully.
8. Lift the slab out using the parchment, cut into 16 bars with a sharp knife, and scatter the Ibiza Fleur de Sel over the tops just before serving.

Lello Note

• Famille Perronneau Acacia Honey is packaged in an 8.8 oz / 250 g jar. This recipe uses about 170 g; reserve the remaining honey for tea or breakfast.
• Brown butter should smell toasted, not burnt. Pour it out of the hot pan as soon as the milk solids become hazelnut-colored.
• The bars are rich; cut small pieces. The finishing salt should arrive as an occasional delicate crystal.

Substitutions

• Walnuts can replace pecans, though the flavor will be more assertive and the result should no longer be presented as pecan pie.
• Regular unsalted butter may replace brown butter if time is limited; the filling will be milder.
• If using a dark, strong-flavored honey instead of acacia, the honey will become a more pronounced flavor in the dessert.
• Heavy cream can be replaced with an equal measure of whole milk, but the set filling will be slightly less rich.

To serve

Arrange small rectangles on an ivory serving platter with coffee or black tea. At a holiday table, offer them beside lightly whipped unsweetened cream rather than an additional caramel sauce.

Storage & make-ahead

Keep the bars covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring to cool room temperature for 15 minutes before serving, and add the fleur de sel at the table. For longer storage, freeze tightly wrapped bars for up to 1 month.