Butterscotch Bars with Brown Sugar Meringue

*2 cups pecan pieces (toast these at 350* for 5 minutes)

*1  1/2 cups flour

*1  1/2 teaspoons baking powder

*1/8 teaspoon salt

*1 cup brown sugar

*1/2 cup butter, diced

*2 egg yolks

*1 teaspoon vanilla

For Topping 

*4 egg whites  (The recipe calls for 2 egg whites but I wanted the meringue to be HIGH…maybe 3 egg whites would have been better!)

*2 cups brown sugar   (Again adjust this if you’d prefer to go by the recipe! ) 

***My meringue didn’t get all that crispy because I used so very much of it, the original recipe said the meringue should be a bit crispy, so use *2 egg whites and *1 cup brown sugar if you’d like it a bit crispy!)

Put oven rack in the center of oven. Preheat oven to 350*. Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13″ pan with foil. Shiny side up. Spray cooking spray over foil. 

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar in the bowl of a food processor. (Use metal blade) Add butter. Process until butter is the size of small peas. Add egg yolks and vanilla and pulse several times until the mixture has the consistency of sandy clumps. 

Pat mixture into pan and level of by pressing with a small offset spatula. Press pecans into mixture. 

To make topping: put egg whites in mixing bowl and mix with the whisk attachment. Beat until whites hold a peak when the whisk is lifted. Add brown sugar and beat at highest speed for 4 minutes. Spread meringue over pecan layer.  

Bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The meringue will crack slightly. Let cool completely and cut into squares. (You can lift foil out of pan for easier cutting.)

Recipe Source: http://www.allthingsheartandhome.com/2009/12/01/christmas-joy-a-craft-and-butterscotch-bars-with-brown-sugar-meringue/