Pecan Butter Millionaire Bars

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 9×9 inch square pan with parchment paper.
2. Make the shortbread: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and kosher salt. Add the oil and maple syrup and stir it together with a spoon, then when it starts to come together use your hands to knead it into a dough. Use your fingers to squeeze out any lumps in the coconut oil and knead until it comes together into a playdough-like texture. Press the dough into the pan. Keep pressing the dough into an even layer that covers the entire pan; it might take a while; you can use a small glass to help roll it out (we used a shot glass). Bake about 15 minutes until lightly browned on the edges. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes until it reaches room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, make the caramelized pecan butter: In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the maple syrup and continue to stir. It will bubble immediately and start to cook down. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the liquid is totally cooked out and the maple syrup starts to darken. Transfer the caramelized nuts to a food processor. Process for 7 to 10 minutes, stopping and scraping the bowl as necessary, until the pecans form into a thick and creamy caramelized pecan butter. It takes a while to come together, so just keep processing. Then, spread the pecan butter onto the cooled shortbread crust using a spatula. Spread it into an even layer; it doesn’t have to be perfect, but take care to make it as even as possible.
4. Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a glass measuring cup. Microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring after each time, until melted (it took us about 3 20-second bursts). Be very careful not to overheat the chocolate! Pour the chocolate over the top of the bars and refrigerate until the chocolate layer is hardened, about 1 hour.
5. When ready to serve, let the bars stand at room temperature for a few minutes so the chocolate comes to room temperature. Cut into 1 inch by 2.25-inch rectangles, to make 36 rectangles in all. Eat immediately or refrigerate until serving.