Pecan Penuche Bars

This is from Emmy Bright.

4 Lg Eggs
1 lb light brown sugar
1 3/4 C flour
1 tsp bkg powder		 1/4 tsp salt
1 lb pecan 1/2s, chopped
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat 350

Prepare 9x13 pan:
Turn the pan upside down on the work surface.  Center a 16" length of aluminum foil, shiny side down, over the pan.  Press on the sides and corners to shape the foil to the pan, then remove the foil.  Turn the pan right side up.  Run some tap water into the pan, then pour out all but 1-2 tbs (the water in the pan helps to hold the foil in place).  Place the foil in the pan and press gently all over to shape it to the pan.  To butter the pan place a piece of butter into the pan and place the pan in the oven to melt the butter. Spread the melted butter with a piece of crumpled plastic wrap.

In a double boiler.  Beat the eggs to mix.  Stir in the sugar and smush with a rubber spatula.  Place over hot water in the bottom part over moderate heat.  Cook for 20 minutes stirring frequently and scraping the sides with the spatula.

In another bowl.  Sift together flour, baking powder and salt

In a bigger bowl - place pecans

After 20 minutes of cooking, stir the vanilla into the eggs/sugar mixture.  Pour this over the nuts - stir really good.  Add the dry - stir really good again.

Turn the hot mixture into the pan and spread smooth.

Bake for about 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out slightly wet - almost but not completely dry.  Let stand till cool.

Cover pan with a cookie sheet  or a rack, turn upside down, remove the pan and peel off the foil.  Cover with another pan/cutting board and flip out - so its right side up.

Refrigerate for 1 hr-overnight.  Place cold cake on cutting board.  Use a serrated french bread knife to cut the cake into bars - first quarter the cake then cut each quarter into 8 pieces.

Keep bars in an airtight box with wax paper between the layers.

These might seem too sticky (not to me!) when you cut them but after standing for a few hours, they will be just right.  If just the bottoms feel sticky, let them stand upside down - they will dry rather quickly.