I found this recipe in the Christmas edition of Food Network magazine. I used to not be much of a pecan person, but as I’ve aged I grow to like them more and more and these bars are so so good. The original recipe called for bittersweet chocolate, but since that’s not really my jam, I used dark chocolate chips instead. Feel free to use bittersweet in your bars if you prefer.

For the Crust:

• 1/3 cup pecans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into cubes

For the Filling:

• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup*
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups pecans, roughly chopped
• 3 ounces dark chocolate, chips or roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides; coat the foil with cooking spray. Pulse the pecans in a food processor until finely ground. Add the flour, granulated sugar and salt and pulse to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the dough starts clumping together (it will still be crumbly). Transfer to the baking dish and press into an even layer with your fingers. Bake until golden brown and set, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the topping: Whisk the corn syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then stir in the pecans. Spread the topping over the warm crust and sprinkle evenly with the chocolate. Return to the oven and bake until the top is set and no longer jiggly, 25 to 30 minutes (took me 40). Transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pan. Remove and cut into diamonds or squares.

*If you are like me and don’t always have dark corn syrup, I used 1/2 cup light corn syrup and 1/4 molasses.