I wanted to eat a pecan pie and went online to search for a recipe.
As one would expect, there are numerous to choose from. Some called for eggs and some called for what seemed like copious amounts of sugar. I decided within a few minutes that I wanted a quick recipe. I didn’t want it to be overly sweet and I could really do without the eggs.
I found just the recipe I wanted in American lifestyle magazine, Southern Living’s website. It is a periodical that caters to the “southern style of living”. “Southern” as in the south-central and south-eastern regions of the USA. As Pecan Pies are associated with this area, I knew the recipe had to be good. It is very good but sweet for my taste. I reduced the sugar and honey and simplified the baking.
So why is this recipe not for a Pecan Pie but for a Mixed-Nuts Tart? Someone in my family ate the pecans. Yeah. No big deal. I mixed whatever was left of the pecans with almonds (see my featured image). The next day, I baked another tart filled with walnuts and then a few days later, I went to the bake store to buy pecans and baked one with pecan. I like all three versions but the all-walnut tart can be a bit heavy going.
This tart can be made in ~1 hour. I was quite surprised it was this quick as it does have a pastry base. Read on and you will find out why this recipe is quick and easy.
1-hour Mixed-Nuts Caramel Tart
| Prep: | ~15 minutes |
| Cook: | ~18 – 20 minutes pastry base ~15 – 20 minutes filled pastry |
| Inactive: | – |
| Level: | Easy |
| Makes: | One 6″ (15.24cm) tart |
| Oven Temperature: | 347F (175C) |
| Can recipe be doubled? | Yes |
| Make ahead? | Keeps ~3 days |
IngredientsPastry base Nuts * Better to measure by volume, as nuts vary in weight but as a guide ~2 cups of pecans is ~7.68 oz (218g). Caramel |
Method
Preheat oven
1. 347F (175C), oven rack on middle shelf.
2. Preheat a baking sheet on middle shelf. It should be large enough to hold a 6″ (15.24cm) loose bottom pie pan.
Pastry base
1. Chill all pastry ingredients before using. To chill quickly, put ingredients in plastic bag and freeze for 5 – 10 minutes.
2. Whizz chilled ingredients in food processor until ingredients look like fine sand. No lumps please.
3. Grease a loose bottom 6″ (15.25cm) pie pan with butter.
4. Transfer pastry into pan. Start by using fingers to press pastry up the inside of pie dish. Once you have a firm “wall” use a spoon to flatten the rest of the pastry into base of pie pan. Smoothen out with spoon.
5. Bake ~18 – 20 minutes or until tops are a light golden brown.
Chop nuts
1. Chop nuts up into large chunks so that it will adhere better to the caramel (that you will make later). It also makes slicing the tart easier.
Remove and cool pre-baked pie shell
1. Cool for ~5 minutes in front of some cool air (I place it in front of the air conditioner) whilst you make caramel.
Caramel (work on this only when pastry is out of the oven)
1. In a nonstick frying pan, add all caramel ingredients.
2. Stir constantly on medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
3. Immediately stir in nuts quickly and remove from burner. Sugar burns easily!
4. Transfer directly into pre-baked pastry.
5. Spread evenly and press to flatten.
Bake
1. Bake for ~15 – 20 minutes or until caramel is bubbly. Watch it. Sugar burns quickly.
2. Remove immediately to cool completely on cooling rack.
To serve
1. Serve with Vanilla Whipped Cream (whipping cream beaten with Homemade Vanilla Sugar until soft peaks) or vanilla ice cream or eat as is.
Tips
If you have a really sweet tooth
Make 1.5X of the caramel recipe so that you can drizzle the extra over vanilla ice cream or whipped cream with a slice of tart. Indulgent. Remember to transfer the extra 0.5 amount from the pan into a pouring jug before folding in the nut(s).
WHAT’S COMING UP NEXT?
kitchenbaroness 