Bean & Maple Syrup Bars

Source: ontariobeans.ca

Yield: Makes 24 bars

Qty.	Ingredient
BASE:	Â	Â
2 cups	all-purpose flour	500 mL
1 cup	brown sugar	250 mL
1/2 cup	butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature	125 mL
FILLING:	Â	Â
1 1/2 cups	WHITE PEA BEANS, soaked and cooked or canned in water: drained and rinsed	375 mL
2/3 cup	maple syrup	150 mL
3	eggs	3
1/2 cup	brown sugar	125 mL
1/2 cup	melted butter	125 mL
1 cup	chopped pecans	250 mL
GARNISH:	(optional)	Â
2 oz.	semi-sweet chocolate	60 g
24	halved pecans	24

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a food processor or mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add the butter pieces and pulse or cut in until crumbly. Transfer into a greased 9″ x 13″ pan and press evenly into bottom. Set aside.

Filling: In a food processor or blender, puree beans and maple syrup. When smooth, add the eggs, sugar and butter and blend well.
Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over base then pour filling over top. Bake for 30 minutes or until set in the middle and lightly browned. Cool to room temperature.
In a double boiler, melt chocolate over barely simmering water. Drizzle chocolate over bars in a criss-cross pattern. Refrigerate the bars until chocolate has set. Cut bars into triangles and garnish each one with a pecan half.