PECAN BRICKLE BARS

Steps:

• Generously grease a 13x9 baking pan or coat with nonstick spray.
• In a medium bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, sugar, and salt.
• Using fork, a pastry blender, or fingertips, cut in butter until the mixture is the onsidtency of fine meal.
• Sprinkle the cream over the flour mixture. Lightly stir to mix. Gently knead until the mixture hold together. If necessary, add up to 3 tsps more cream until the mixture holds together but it is not wet.
• Alternatively, in a food processor, process the dry ingredients and the butter in an off/on butter in pulses until mixture is similiar to coarse meals, do not over process.add 1 Tbsp cream, a little at a time and process in off/on pulses until mixtue begins to hold together; add just enough more cream so the mixture hold together is not wet.
• Firmly press the dough in an even layer into the baking pan.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes or just tinged with brown at the edges. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand until cooled to room temperature about 5 minutes.
• TOPPING:.
• Spread pecans in a medium baking pan.
• Combine the butter, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup and cream.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally for 4 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla and 2 1/4 cups of the pecans.
• Sspread topping evenly over the crust.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 20-24 minutes or until the topping is bubbly, golden brown and just slightly darker at the edges.
• Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand until cooled to warm. Sprinkle the chocolate morsels evenly over the top.
• Let stand until the morsels melt, then using a table knife, spread melted chocolate over the topping. It will not completely cover the topping, sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup of pecans over the chocolate.
• Let stand until cooled to barely warm.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the slab into 32 bars, wipe knife clean between cuts.
• Let stand until completely cooled.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.
• If freezing, leave the slab whole, then cut into bars when partially thawed.