Pecans lend themselves to everything from pies to ice cream.
There are many different types of pecan desserts, some more complex than others. Candied Pecan Bunches are popular, extremely simple, and relatively quick to make. For more elaborate pecan desserts, tarts and bars are very common. Technically considered fruit, these nuts are also popular as a topping for cheesecake or caramel.
Pecan clusters are often described as a crustless cookie that cannot be baked. Whole nuts are mixed with a variety of hot, gooey ingredients. Chocolate, caramel and marshmallow fluff are popular. After mixing the nuts with the hot ingredients, the mixture is dropped onto a sheet of parchment paper and allowed to cool. Once hardened, this pecan dessert can be stored in an airtight container and eaten as a sweet snack after a meal.
Candied pecans are often served as a sweet after-dinner snack during the fall and winter months; They also make a great party appetizer. For this walnut dessert, the walnuts are covered in a mixture of sugar, butter, and hot, sweet spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Once well coated, the nuts are slowly roasted until the topping caramelizes. Once cooled, this pecan dessert is ready to eat and tends to keep for a week or two in an airtight container. These pecan desserts are also popular gifts during the winter holidays.
Walnut cake is one of the most popular and well-known walnut desserts. The nuts are mixed with a sweetened base of molasses, syrup, brown sugar and spices and then baked into a tart shape. A variety of liqueurs are also popular additions. The cake can be served with whipped cream, ice cream, or a creamy liqueur glaze.
Other common nut desserts are walnut bars or squares. They generally resemble a mix between a cookie and the method used to make pecan curls or cake. A simple sugar dough is spread out on a baking sheet and baked in half. Then a mixture of nuts, sugar, and other binding ingredients is spread over the dough and baked until done. This nutty dessert can be topped with a drizzle of chocolate or caramel, or left alone.
These delicious nuts are also a popular topping for a variety of other desserts. Pecan cheesecake is a common dish served in early spring or late fall; the mix of warm pecan walnut frosting and crisp, refreshing cheesecake makes a great dessert for the in-between seasons. Nuts are also often used in caramel, which is made from a mixture of butter and sugar. For this dish, the toffee base is often spread with dark chocolate, and the chopped nuts are pressed into the hot toffee before it hardens.