Recently, a friend and I got into a short but spirited debate about the relative merits of pecans and walnuts. She argued for the superiority of the pecan, while I made a pitiful attempt to defend the walnut. I couldn't muster much enthusiasm, because I like pecans, and I think that there are plenty of occasions when they're the right choice. But I felt certain that walnuts also bring something special to the table. I just couldn't quite articulate it at the time.

Eaten alone, pecans are undoubtedly the superior nut. They're sweet and mild, with none of the bitterness imparted by a walnut's skin.

But it's that very bitterness that makes walnuts such a soulful ingredient. Whether you realize it or not, a measured dose of bitterness is often the essential component of a dish. Walnuts can play a delicious role in savory dishes, such as a spinach salad with sliced oranges and prosciutto, or ground into a wintery pesto with broccoli raab and pecorino-romano. But walnuts really shine when it comes to the end of the meal.

On vacation in Greece, I discovered that many restaurants serve a light, free dessert after the meal. My favorite one, offered about half the time, was a small plate of thick, creamy yogurt topped with walnuts and honey. The bitterness in the walnuts cut through both the sweetness of the honey and the richness of the yogurt, bringing balance and complexity to the simplest of plates. Greek specialty shops even sell jars of walnuts preserved in honey.

Walnuts pop up in all kinds of desserts, but I find they have a particularly strong affinity for honey, perhaps because honey can sometimes taste overwhelmingly sweet. Darina Allen's Toffee and Walnut Squares are undoubtedly an old-fashioned treat, but they're all the better for it. Each bite tastes simply of butter, walnuts, honey and brown sugar, each flavor delightfully distinct. Perfect for nibbling with a cup of tea in the afternoon, they're a welcome contrast to today's cupcakes and candy bars, overstuffed with exotic flavors.

Grizzly Bear Pie, from the Brooklyn restaurant Vinegar Hill House, adapted by Saveur, is definitely more decadent. It also beats every version of pecan pie I've made hands down.

My pecan-loving friend might not agree, but I don't think she'd say no to a slice of pie.

GRIZZLY BEAR PIE

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

This pie is slightly elaborate, but it is worth every step. To simplify the process, pre-bake your crust and toast the walnuts the day before you plan to make the pie.

— China Millman

1 lightly pre-baked 9-inch pie shell

6 ounces (about 1 ½ cups) walnuts

½ cup white sugar

2/3 cup honey

¾ teaspoon salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup heavy cream

1 whole egg plus 1 yolk

Pinch flaked sea salt, like Maldon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly toast the walnuts on a cookie sheet or in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. When the walnuts have cooled, break them up a bit using your hands, and scatter them in the bottom of the pre-baked pie shell.

Make the honey filling: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, honey and salt and stir until blended. Add the butter and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat, until the butter has melted and the mixture comes just to a boil.

Remove mixture from heat and transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in vanilla, and allow mixture to cool for about 20 minutes or to room temperature.

Once the honey mixture has cooled, whisk in the cream. Add the egg and yolk and whisk again until well combined. Pour the filling over the walnuts, taking care not to overfill the shell (you may have more honey filling than you need; reserve it for another use).

Bake pie for 40-50 minutes or until filling is set but still jiggles slightly, and the piecrust edge is deep golden brown. The pie will continue to set as it cools. Sprinkle the cooled pie with Maldon or other flaked sea salt, if you wish.

Makes one 9-inch pie

— www.saveur.com

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Next time, I would double the walnuts, as ¼ cup doesn't quite cover all the squares. Darina Allen points out that this recipe could be made with any nut, but I think walnuts go particularly well with the sweetness of the topping.

— China Millman

For the crust:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons superfine sugar

8 tablespoons butter

Drop of vanilla extract

1 organic egg yolk or half a whole organic egg, whisked

1 to 2 tablespoons ice water (optional)

For the topping:

6 tablespoons butter

¼ cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

¼ cup walnuts

1 tablespoon cream

Butter an 8-by-12-inch glass or metal heatproof baking pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Put the flour and sugar into a bowl, rub in the butter, add the vanilla extract and bind with the egg yolk or enough whisked egg to make a pastry. (If the pastry seems dry, you can add a tablespoon or two of ice water, as you would for a piecrust.) Press into a greased pan and roll evenly. Then prick the pastry (don't worry if it flakes a little) and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

To make the topping, put the butter, sugar and honey into a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the walnuts and continue to cook on a low heat until they are a pale-straw color. Stir in the cream and cook for a few more seconds. Spread this topping over the cooked base and bake until topping is a deep golden-brown color. This can take anything from 8 to 20 minutes, depending on how well the base is cooked and the length of time the topping ingredients were cooked for.

Cut into squares when almost cold.

Makes 24 squares.

— Adapted from "Forgotten Skills of Cooking: The Time-Honored Ways Are The Best — Over 700 Recipes Show You Why"by Darina Allen (KyleBooks, 2009, $40)

China Millman: cmillman@post-gazette.com