Cajeta Caramel-Pecan Bars

• 1 1/2 cups pecans (about 6 ounces)
• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup cajeta, preferably made of goats milk

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400F.
2. In a metal pan, like a cake tin, toast the pecans, stirring them once or twice, until they are crisp, lightly browned, and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Remove and cool.
4. Coarsely chop the pecans.
5. Decrease the oven temperature to 350F.
6. Coat a 9-by-13-inch metal pan lightly with solid vegetable shortening.
7. (If you are using a glass pan, lower the oven temperature to 325F.)
8. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then sift again.
9. In a large bowl, cream the butter.
10. Add the brown and white sugars and cream until light.
11. One at a time, beat in the eggs.
12. Mix in the vanilla.
13. Add the dry ingredients and mix until almost combined.
14. Add the pecans and stir until just combined; do not overmix.
15. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
16. Drizzle the cajeta evenly over the batter.
17. Bake until the edges are just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan and a tester inserted into the center comes out almost clean, about 25 minutes.
18. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack.
19. Cut into bars to serve.

pecans, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, unsalted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, vanilla, cajeta

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/cajeta-caramel-pecan-bars (may not work)