A chocolate shortbread crust is topped with a fudgy chocolate filling and garnished with pecans.

Fudgy Chocolate Pecan Squares

1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
2 large eggs
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
2 teaspoons maple flavoring
2 cups chopped pecans or pecan halves

1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in 1 beaten egg.
3. Press mixture evenly on bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake 25 minutes.
4. In medium bowl, beat sweetened condensed milk, remaining 1 egg and flavoring; stir in pecan halves. Pour over prepared crust, distributing pecan halves evenly. Return to oven.
5. Bake 25 minutes or until golden.
6. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Makes 24 to 36 bars.