3000 miles 'til dinner.

“A favorite since I “inherited” this delicious recipe in the late ‘80’s when I was the pastry chef  @ at Cafe des Amis, a wonderful little French restaurant in NW Portland. The Cafe closed a few years ago, but fondly remembered by many in Portland…..ahhh, Roast Duck with Blackberry Sauce, Beef Tenderloin with Port Garlic Sauce, Chicken Liver Pate, Garden Salad with Toasted Walnuts, shaved Parmesan and Champagne Vinaigrette and of course, Pecan Tart.”

PECAN TARTS ( 2-9”)  

Prep time: 45 minutes           Total baking time: 50 minutes

Oven temp: 400 degrees (then 350 degrees)

Servings: 20 generous slices

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Sweet Pastry for Tart Shells

♥PANTRY, FRIDGE, MARKET♥

2 1/2 C. unbleached flour

2 cubes cold, unsalted butter, cut into 20 pieces

3 T. sugar

1 t. fine sea salt

1 egg yolk

1/2 C. cold water

♥MIL DIRECTIONS.♥

Prep - food processor

Pulse flour, sugar and salt to mix. Add butter pieces. Pulse 8-10 times until butter is incorporated into flour and resembles”coarse meal” ( little specks of butter still visible).

Mix egg yolk with water. With processor on, drizzle water and egg mix slowly through the feed tube, until pastry comes together. Stop processor; pinch pastry between your fingers to test consistency —  it should hold together, not crumble and fall apart or be too sticky. If sticky, add a little more flour, 1 T. at a time. If too dry, and you’ve used all your egg/water mixture, add water, 1 T. at a time.

Rolling out pastry

Place dough on floured surface, divide in half and let rest for 20 minutes. Roll each portion out into a 11” circle,  adding flour to the surface as you need it. Fold each pastry circle in half and lift into tart pan, gently pressing into bottom and sides of pan. With a small knife, slice pastry off along the rim, creating a clean edge. Prick bottom with fork tongs.

Chilling pastry shells

Place shells in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Baking  pastry shells  - 400 degrees

Line chilled tart shell(s) with parchment or foil, being sure to pull up along sides of the pastry.

Fill with 1-1/2 C dried legumes or rice, spreading up sides and along bottom.

Bake shell for 10 minutes then check shell to make sure sides aren’t ‘sliding down. If they are, used a fork to press up sides. If sides are “set in place/pastry not sliding” remove paper/foil and beans; continue to bake until bottom is set. The crust should be just set, not brown.

♥WAYS TO “just wing it” ♥ consider these substitutions

1 C. whole wheat pastry flour and 1 1/2 C. unbleached flour

Heart healthy “butter” substitute

Pie rather than tart? use pie pan(s)

♥NOTE♥ consider these hints

No rolling pin?  wine bottle or jar, work in a pinch!

Less messy: pastry can be rolled betweens sheets of plastic wrap

Unbaked tart shells can be frozen for 1 month (glass, stainless or ceramic pans)

Pecan filling can be frozen for 6 months

Fully baked Pecan Tarts can be stored in refrigerator, 4-5 days OR frozen for 3 weeks

Recycle: save your baking legumes/rice —- use again and again

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Pecan Tart Filling

♥PANTRY, FRIDGE, MARKET♥

3 C. pecans, halves or pieces

3 cubes unsalted butter, melted

1/4 C.  cream (half ‘n half, heavy cream or canned milk)

3 T. unbleached flour

3 C. light brown sugar, firmly packed

3/4 C. granulated sugar

1 T. pure vanilla extract

6 large eggs

♥MIL DIRECTIONS.♥

Prep - using food processor, whisk or mixer

Mix all ingredients together, except pecans, until completely smooth. If using mixer, mix on slow speed; do not want filling to get frothy or fluffy.

♥WAYS TO “just wing it”.♥ consider these substitutions

Any nuts or nut combination

Good quality heart healthy “butter”

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Baking Tarts - 350 degrees              25-35 minutes

Place pre-baked tart shells on parchment or foil lined sheet pan to protect oven from spill-over. Do not fill shells before they are on the sheet pan (too easy to spill). Spread 1-1/2 cups pecans into each shell. Pour in filling until it almost reaches the top of the crust, leaving a little space.

Bake for 25 minutes, then check. Tart is done when firm in the center with an overall “puffed look”, but not cracking.

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Serving

Excellent served chilled or room temperature and most definitely best served with unsweetened whipped cream.

♥ Whipped Cream♥

Whipping or heavy cream     (heavy cream has a little more butterfat)

Pure vanilla extract   (1 t. per cup of cream)

Prep - quick and easy - food processor

Pour cream into food processor bowl (use metal or plastic blade); bowl should be no more then half full.

Process until creams begins to thicken. Add vanilla, then continue processing until cream is desired consistency.

NOTE: This process takes only “a minute” ——don’t walk away with your processor on or you may have butter!

(MIL post)