Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
 
Makes 9 to 16 bars
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (156 grams) packed finely crushed speculaas cookie crumbs* (20 to 22 cookies)
  • 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, melted
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 3 (8-ounce) packages (680 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
  • ⅔ cup (133 grams) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (24 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons (9 grams) vanilla bean paste, divided
  • 3 large eggs (150 grams), room temperature
  • ⅔ cup (147 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup (80 grams) heavy whipping cream
  • ⅓ cup (113 grams) golden syrup
  • 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1¾ cups (198 grams) chopped pecans
  • Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). Spray a Baker’s Secret 9½-inch Superb Collection square baking pan cooking spray. Line pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together cookie crumbs, melted butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt until well combined; press mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan.
  3. Bake until set, firm, and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Leave oven on.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add granulated sugar, flour, 1 teaspoon (6 grams) vanilla bean paste, and ¼ teaspoon salt; beat at medium-low speed just until combined, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Spread mixture evenly over cooled crust.
  5. Bake until ½ to ¾ inch of edges are slightly matte and just set but center is still very jiggly, about 15 minutes. Carefully place on a wire rack. Leave oven on.
  6. In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream, golden syrup, softened butter, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in pecans and remaining ½ teaspoon (3 grams) vanilla bean paste. Gently spoon pecan mixture evenly over top of filling. (It will be a generous layer.)
  7. Bake until edges are set but middle 6 to 6½ inches are still quite jiggly and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 150°F (66°C) to 155°F (68°C), 13 to 18 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate in pan for at least 4 hours or up to overnight, loosely covering with foil only when completely cool to prevent condensation from forming.
  8. Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan. Using a serrated knife, cut into bars. Serve with Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream. Refrigerate bars without whipped cream in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
*We used Lotus Biscoff Cookies.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/pecan-pie-cheesecake-bars/