Chewy Caramel Pecan Diamonds

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chilled cold butter, preferably unsalted, divided
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 4 cups coarsley chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup whipping cream, unwhipped
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 8 ounces unwrapped caramels (about 28)
• 2 -3 teaspoons whipping cream

Recipe

• 1 set oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides; butter foil.
• 3 in a food processor, blend the flour confectioner's sugar, cornstarch and salt for a couple of seconds.
• 4 add in 3/4 cup cold butter (cut into chunks); process until mixture begins to clump together.
• 5 press the dough evenly onto the bottom of the foil-lined baking pan.
• 6 bake until light and golden, about 25 minutes (don't overbake).
• 7 remove from oven; let stand while preparing the topping.
• 8 reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• 9 for topping: stir the brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, until the sugar dissolves, and the mixture boils; boil for 1 minute.
• 10 add in the pecans and the whipping cream; boil until the mixture thickens slightly (about 3 minutes).
• 11 stir in vanilla.
• 12 pour over the warm baked crust.
• 13 bake for 20 minutes, or until the topping is darker, and bubbles thickly.
• 14 transfer pan to a wire rack; cool completely in the pan (topping will harden).
• 15 in a double boiler, melt the caramels with 2-3 tsp whipping cream.
• 16 drizzle over the top of the cooked nut topping; cool.
• 17 lift foil out of the pan onto a cutting board.
• 18 using a heavy, sharp knife, cut the crust with nut topping into 1-1/2 x 1-inch diamonds.
• 19 these keep for up to 1 week.