Pecan butter tarts

The recipe for this Canadian sweet treat comes from Anna Olson (original recipe here). The tarts were just divine. Those who love flaky crust with sweet caramel filling and crunchy nuts will be delighted. It is one of my favourite puddings recently :)

Ingredients for 12 -14 tarts:

crust:

•  360g flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 150g cold, unsalted butter
• 6 tbsp cold water
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar

Place the flour and salt into an eclectic mixer bowl.   Mix them with paddle attachment. Then add cut into a small pieces butter. When all the mixture will turn yellowish bread crumbs pour in water and lemon juice/white vinegar. Mix until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a log. Wrap into a cling film and chill in a fridge for at least two hours (mine was in the fridge overnight).

     

After that time remove from the fridge at least 20 minutes before  rolling.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Slightly grease the muffin tin.

Dust the worktop with a flour and place unwrapped dough in the middle. Slice the log into 12 pieces. Roll each of them 0,5 cm thin. Use an 11 cm round cookie cutter to cut each into a circle. Line each muffin cup with a pastry so it comes about 1 cm above muffin tin edge (mine were lower). Insert the muffin tin into a fridge to chill.

Meantime prepare the filling.

Ingredients for filling:

• 95g butter
• 185g demerara sugar
• 2 eggs
• 125 ml maple syrup 
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• about 40 pecan nuts

 Divide the pecans among all pastry shells. You can roast the pecans on dry pan before.

Place the butter and sugar into a sauce pan. Melt them  over medium heat, stirring until the mixture is bubbling. Remove the pot from the heat. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Slowly pour in the  hot sugar mixture while whisking constantly until incorporated. With  a ladle pour the mixture into prepared earlier tart shells.

Insert the muffin tin into preheated oven. Bake them in 200C for 10 minutes then reduce the temperature to 190C and bake another 10 - 15 minutes. bake until the filling is bubbling and crust edges are brown.

Remove the tin from the oven and set aside to cool down. After 5 minutes twist around in the pan to prevent sticking and keep the in the pan until completely cooled. 

     

Enjoy !