Rose's Baking Basics

Pecan Tart

Serves 6 to 8

Oven Temperature: 350°F/175°C

Baking Time: 15 to 20 minutes

Baking Equipment: One 9½ by 1 inch high fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, coated with baking spray with flour if not nonstick

A cookie sheet lined with nonstick aluminum foil or with regular foil lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray

A foil ring to protect the edges of the crust

This pecan pie, baked as a tart, is less sweet than other versions due to the addition of heavy cream, the mellow butterscotch flavor from the golden syrup, and the lovely flavor notes from the Muscovado sugar. The filling has an appealing soft consistency with just a little flow. I like to serve it with vanilla ice cream or unsweetened lightly whipped cream. Pecan Pie ranks as one of the most beloved holiday pies and is even better still as a 9 inch tart. If you prefer, you can make it as a pie in a standard pie plate.

Perfect Flaky and Tender cream cheese Pie Crust

Dough for a 9 inch tart shell, prebaked (see instructions), still in the pan on the cookie sheet

321 grams

1 recipe

Pecan Filling

unsalted butter	57 grams	4 tablespoons (½ stick)
5 (to 8) large egg yolks	93 grams	¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (89 ml)
pecan halves	200 grams	2 cups
golden syrup, preferably Lyles, or corn syrup	113 grams	⅓ cup (79 ml)
light Muscovado or dark brown sugar	108 grams	½ cup, firmly packed
heavy cream	58 grams	¼ cup (59 ml)
fine sea salt	.	a pinch
pure vanilla extract	.	1 teaspoon (5 ml)

Preheat the Oven

▪ Twenty minutes or longer before baking, set an oven rack at the middle level. Set the oven at 350ºF/175ºC.

Mise en Place

▪ Thirty minutes to 1 hour ahead, cut the butter into small pieces, and set it and the eggs on the counter at room temperature (65º to 75ºF/19º to 24ºC).

▪ Have ready a medium-mesh strainer suspended over a 2 cup glass measure with a spout, lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray.

▪ Shortly before making the filling, into a 1 cup measure with a spout, weigh or measure the egg yolks.

Arrange the Pecans and Make the Filling

1. Place the pecans, top sides up, on the bottom of the baked crust.

2. Place the egg yolks in a heavy medium saucepan. With a silicone spatula, stir the syrup, brown sugar, butter, cream, and salt into the egg yolks.

3. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it is uniform in color and just begins to thicken very slightly, about 7 minutes. Do not allow it to boil. An instant-read thermometer should read 150ºF/66ºC. Immediately pour the mixture into the strainer, press it through, and scrape any mixture clinging to the underside into the bowl. Stir in the vanilla.

4. With the glass measure’s spout just above the pecans, slowly pour in the filling, lightly coating the nuts and moving from the center to the edge of the tart. Once the filling is completely poured the pecans will float. Gently shake the tart pan to distribute the nuts. Use your fingers to rearrange them.

Bake the Tart

5. Place a foil ring on top to protect the edges from overbrowning. Set the cookie sheet with the assembled tart in the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the filling is puffed and golden and just beginning to bubble around the edges. When the tart is moved gently, the filling will shimmy only very slightly. An instant-read thermometer, when inserted near the center, should read 190º to 200ºF/88º to 93ºC. Check early to prevent overbaking; otherwise the filling might end up too dry.

Cool the Tart

6. Set the tart, still on the cookie sheet, on a wire rack and cool until warm.

Unmold the Tart

7. Place the tart pan on top of a canister that is smaller than the bottom opening of the tart pan’s outer rim. Press down on both sides of the tart ring. The outer rim should slip away easily. If you have used white chocolate to seal any holes in the crust (see Solutions for Possible Problems), you will need to melt it to release the bottom of the pan. Simply set the tart on a hot towel or heated inverted cake pan for about a minute or until you can easily slide the tart onto a serving plate. If the sticky filling has leaked through the crust, after warming the bottom slide a long metal spatula between the crust and the bottom of the pan, loosening it all around if necessary. Cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

Store Covered: room temperature, 1 week.

Variations

Frozen Pecan Tart

If you use the Sweet Cookie Tart Crust instead, you can cut and eat the tart right from the freezer.

Chocolate Pecan tart

Add unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder to the egg yolk mixture: 9 grams/2 tablespoons for a more custardy texture and lighter flavor, or 27 grams/¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons for slightly fudgy texture and more intense flavor (sift the cocoa before measuring). Stir until smooth. Cook on low heat only until hot to the touch (115° to 120°F/46° to 49°C). Unless there are lumps, there is no need to strain. Baking time may be 5 minutes longer. For an all chocolate version, you can use the Sweet Chocolate Cookie Tart Crust. It also freezes well.

Making Pecan Tart