Chewy Caramel Pecan Diamonds - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chilled cold butter, preferably unsalted, divided
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 cups coarsley chopped pecans
1/2 cup whipping cream, unwhipped
2 teaspoons vanilla
8 ounces unwrapped caramels (about 28)
2 -3 teaspoons whipping cream

Preparation

Set oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides; butter foil.
In a food processor, blend the flour confectioner's sugar, cornstarch and salt for a couple of seconds.
Add in 3/4 cup COld butter (cut into chunks); process until mixture begins to clump together.
Press the dough evenly onto the bottom of the foil-lined baking pan.
Bake until light and golden, about 25 minutes (don't overbake).
Remove from oven; let stand while preparing the topping.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
FOR TOPPING: stir the brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, until the sugar dissolves, and the mixture boils; boil for 1 minute.
Add in the pecans and the whipping cream; boil until the mixture thickens slightly (about 3 minutes).
Stir in vanilla.
Pour over the warm baked crust.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the topping is darker, and bubbles thickly.
Transfer pan to a wire rack; cool completely in the pan (topping will harden).
In a double boiler, melt the caramels with 2-3 tsp whipping cream.
Drizzle over the top of the cooked nut topping; cool.
Lift foil out of the pan onto a cutting board.
Using a heavy, sharp knife, cut the crust with nut topping into 1-1/2 x 1-inch diamonds.
These keep for up to 1 week.