I never had buttery pecan tarts in mind when I purchased these mini tart pans. Me, being the gadget guru I had no idea how these pans would be used. The mini tart pans led the life of most gadgets; a life on the shelf. The buttery pecan tarts provided a perfect use for the pans.
When you least expect it a recipe for buttery pecan tarts turns up. I was reading one of my favorite cook books and the recipe just called out to me. All that’s needed are a few ingredients for the crust. You need butter, sugar, one egg, almond extract, and flour. Mix with a blend. Press the crust into the three tart pans and bam! You have 36 tart crusts ready for an amazing filling.
The second step is to create that luscious pecan filling. Simply combine powdered sugar, butter, corn syrup into a saucepan. Cook over medium heat. Remove the mixture from the heat adding chopped pecans. Spoon into the baked tarts. Top with a pecan half. These lovely buttery pecan tarts are the end results. And what lovely end results they are.
Buttery Pecan Tarts
- 1 stick butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 13/4 flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup butter
- ⅓ cup corn syrup
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 36 pecan halves
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- In large mixer bowl combine all tart shell ingredients. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture is crumbly (2 to 3 minutes).
- Press 1 tablespoon mixture into cups of mini tart pans to form 36 shells.
- Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until very lightly browned.
- Remove from oven.
- Reduce oven to 350 degrees.
- In a 2 quart saucepan combine all filling ingredients except chopped pecans and pecan halves.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture comes to a boil 4 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat; Stir in chopped pecans.
- Spoon into baked shells.
- Top each with a pecan half.
- Bake for 5 minutes.
- Cool; remove from pans.
