Graham Cracker Chewy Bars
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Dear SOS: Julienne’s bakery in San Marino has delicious graham cracker chewy bars dusted with powdered sugar. Can you get the recipe?
Robi Inserra
Los Angeles
Dear Robi: These delicious little bars combine a dense graham cracker base with a velvety custard filling rich with brown sugar and chopped pecans. Sweet, but not overly so, each bar is like a perfect miniature pecan pie baked over a wonderfully crumbly graham cracker crust. Plan ahead and make an extra batch.
These bars are adapted from a recipe by Susan Campoy. Campoy, chef-owner of the French-inspired bistro Julienne, in San Marino, recently passed away due to complications from breast cancer. Her love of cooking and entertaining prompted Campoy to start a home-based catering business and after just a few years she opened Julienne in 1985. Her operation expanded over the years to include a gourmet market. Julienne continues to operate under the direction of Campoy’s daughter and business partner, Julie Campoy.
This is just one example of the types of recipes in Campoy’s new cookbook, “Celebrating With Julienne.” The cookbook was a life goal for Campoy and will be for sale at Julienne starting May 4 (available at additional retail outlets starting Mother’s Day).
Crust
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and flour until moist and well-blended. Press the mixture firmly and evenly over the bottom of a 13-inch by 9-inch baking pan. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
Topping and assembly
While the crust is baking, in a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs to blend. Whisk in the graham cracker crumbs, vanilla, salt and baking powder until well-blended. Stir in the pecans.
Spread the mixture over the baked crust and return to the 350-degree oven until the filling is dark-golden on top and jiggles slightly when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Sprinkle a light coating of sifted powdered sugar over the pan if desired, and cut into 24 bars. The bars can be made 1 day in advance. Wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature.
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