Classic Pecan Tart

What makes a great Pecan Tart ? This classic deep South Pecan Tart should be loaded with the flavour and texture of Pecans. Toasted pecans on the top of the tart, and softer chewy pecans in the middle. It should have the rich and creamy taste which is a characteristic of the sweets of the Southern states of America and it should have a buttery melt in your mouth crust. Traditionally served over the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays, this delightful tart combines nuttiness and creaminess in one delicious tart. Best of all, this Pecan Tart is unbelievably so easy to make, can be made ahead of time which is why it shouldn’t only be reserved for the holidays.

Is it a Tart or a Pie

A tart is a sweet or savoury dish consisting of a bottom crust and a filling, while a pie is a dish of any sort – meat, fruit or veggies that is enclosed in pastry. Both have fillings and both have crust, but it has become more interchanged in recent years due to cooks doing their own thing.Traditionally tart has a more delicate crumbly crust, while pies have the more flaky textured pastry. To add more to the confusion, we now have pies, without the pastry lids and have tarts that are enclosed. Whatever you want to call it, as long as it’s tasty you wouldn’t hear quibble from me.

Pecans are the fatty seeds of a very large tree, native to the Central North America. It is a relative of another oil rich nut, the walnuts. As a side note, the best pecans are grown in Georgia, Texas and South Carolina so it’s no wonder that the Pecan Pie/Tart originated from these Southern States.

What you need to make Pecan Tart

• Fridge and Pantry Items – Plain Flour, Cold Butter,Icing Sugar Mixture,Condensed Milk,Brown Sugar and Eggs.
• Pecans – I find that you don’t have to toast the Pecan Nuts before hand. What happens is, the top Pecans get toasted while the tart is baking and the nuts within the filling remain soft with a more chewy texture.
• A tart tin with a loose bottom 33x 10 cm rectangular pan or 20cm diameter pie plate or a tart tin with similar volume.
• The pastry crust is really easy to make, but if you’re in a hurry or can’t be bothered, you can also use a pre made short crust pastry. A good one to try is an Australian brand called Careme, which is as good as any homemade, if not better. Other brands won’t be as crumbly, but the tart will still be delicious.

Easy does it…

For the pastry:

• The recipe below utilises food processor in making the pastry, however you can also make it by hand. Measure the flour into a mixing bowl, then grate the cold butter into the bowl. Sift the icing sugar mixture directly in to the bowl, and mix with your fingers or fork until it resembles coarse sand. Add about 2 tablespoons of cold water and mix until the dough starts to come together. Flatten into a disc or a rough rectangle ( depending on your tart tin), wrap with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Then follow the rest of the steps.
• If using a mixer or a food processor, process flour icing sugar and cubed butter until it resembles coarse sand. Add cold water and pulse just enough so the dough comes together. Pinch a piece of dough and check with your finger. It should be soft and have a bit of yield . You may need to add more cold water if the dough is to dry. Tip dough into a lightly floured counter and knead until smooth. Flatten it into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap and rest the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.

• Roll pastry out between two sheets of plastic wrap or baking paper until it is large enough to fit the tin, a little less than 1 cm thick. Carefully lay the pastry on the tart tin and press into the base and sides of the tin. Don’t worry if there are gaps- just patch them up with the trimmings. Use a small sharp knife to trim off the excess so the edges are even. Prick the base all over with a fork, then place in the fridge for another 30 minutes.
• Remove tart tin from the fridge and place on a baking tray. Line the pastry with baking paper large enough to cover with a little bit extra. Fill with uncooked rice or baking weights, then bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Take out from the oven, and carefully remove the baking paper and the baking weight you used. Reserve the baking weights for your next baking project. Bake the tart for another 5 minutes until golden.
  

Filling and Assembly:

• Remove tart from the oven and scatter the roughly chopped pecans evenly over the baked pastry shell.
• Make the filling by whisking together eggs,condensed milk, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until smooth. Pour the mixture over the pecans and bake for 30 minutes or until just set.
  
• Cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before removing to a serving plate.

How to serve this delicious Classic Pecan Tart

• Delicious served by itself warm or cold.
• With a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or a dollop of whipped Cream
• A lot of recipes call for maple syrup, but I find it too sweet, so I serve Maple syrup as a side to drizzle over the tart or over the Ice Cream.

Tarts tickle your fancy?

If you don’t like/have pecans, you can substitute this for walnuts. Also here’s another easy tart recipe for you to enjoy. Check out my take on Lorraine Godsmark’s Date& Custard Tart. Please let me know if you do try this recipe, I would love your feedback via the comments section below.