Oat and pecan brittle cookies

Toast the chopped pecans on a small rimmed baking sheet; set a timer because nuts burn easily. No oven temperature is stated.

Measure out half a teaspoon of kosher salt and half a teaspoon of baking soda in advance so they are ready the moment the caramel is at the right point.

Put the granulated sugar and four tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small saucepan with a little water and stir over medium heat just until it comes up to a boil, to dissolve the sugar.

Switch from stirring to swirling, which evens out the heat without encouraging crystallization and a grainy brittle.

Cook until the mixture turns golden, then amber, then a very dark golden brown, and kill the heat.

Stir in the toasted pecans until they are well coated.

Add the baking soda and kosher salt, which will foam, stir rapidly to incorporate, and while still hot spread it on a small sheet pan in a single layer, just thin enough to be cut up.

Let the brittle cool and set, then break it up and chop it so that the largest pieces are about the size of a pea; irregular is fine.

Put half the two sticks of cold cut-up butter into the bowl of the stand mixer and the other half into the saucepan.

Melt and brown the second half over medium high, agitating and scraping near constantly so the milk solids do not stick and burn. The darker it gets the more flavour.

Kill the heat while the residual heat finishes it, then pour the brown butter and every speck of the solids over the cold butter in the mixer bowl, and let it sit until the butter is room temperature.

In the food processor grind the all-purpose flour, two teaspoons kosher salt, one teaspoon baking soda, one cup of the rolled oats and half the pecan brittle until very fine with no big pieces.

Beat the granulated and dark brown sugars into the butter, not creaming it light and fluffy, just until well mixed, smooth and satiny.

Add the two cold eggs one at a time to emulsify in and chill and thicken the butter, then a full tablespoon of vanilla extract.

Pulse in the dry ingredients; no need to sift, a little lumpy is fine.

Mix in the remaining one cup of oats and the remaining chopped pecan brittle.

Portion into two ounce balls with a scoop or a quarter cup measure, scraping against the side of the bowl and levelling off into a little mound.

Cover and chill the dough; two hours is acceptable but eight to 24 hours is best. Anything not baked now can go in the freezer.

Bake six pieces to a tray, as the written recipe says, for 16 to 20 minutes. No oven temperature is stated.

The centre may still look slightly shiny, which is fine since they set as they cool. Because they are thin and soft, cool them on the baking sheet for a while before transferring to a rack.