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Combining Maple and Pecans in a Shortbread Square is perfect right now as I hear the maple is flowing from the trees in Vermont. Combined with Pecans these are nutty and gooey and maybe even better than the tradition Lemon Shortbread Squares.
It’s funny how we associate Maple Flavors with the Fall. It goes well with Pumpkins. But this is the time of year the fresh Maple Syrup and Candies are available especially if you live in New England. We drove out to a farm one year and watched the extensive process of taking the maple from the trees and distilling it into a syrup. Well worth every penny to buy it.
I love experimenting with different flavors and different flours in traditional recipes. This one required adding nuts to the shortbread and finding just the right balance of maple and orange for the filling. Maple is really sweet and so I cut back on granulated sugar. Oranges give a citrus flavor to balance the maple and sugar.
Several years ago I had to create an all new recipe using Maple for a baking competition. If I submitted a recipe I could never publish as my own and it belonged to the company. So, I did not submit this one. I may not have submitted any. I didn’t quite think the reward was worth giving up my creation.
You can make these Maple Pecan Shortbread Squares any time of the year with good quality Real Maple Syrup. Don’t buy the stuff that says Maple Flavored Syrup. It’s just flavored corn syrup. As for that matter, throw that bottle away and never buy it again!
