These pecan pies, baked in mini muffin cups, are called "tassies." Tassie is a Scottish word for cup, which I suppose has something to do with the size or shape of these. Pecan tassies are supposedly a French/American creation, possibly stemming from some mashing of cultures down in New Orleans, but no one's really sure.
I think these were the favorite dessert at Mum's 50th. (Yes, there were three.) I think I liked the espresso-cream-filled eclairs (dipped in espresso-tainted white chocolate) best, but I was outvoted by the general population. (I didn't get any pictures of my little eclairs (there were also white chocolate and dark chocolate eclairs), so you don't get to see them 'til I make them again, sorry folks).
If you love pecans, brown sugar, or the idea of pie you can pop into your mouth, make these. If you just like any of these things, make these anyway. Maybe they'll change your mind.
Pecan Tassies
From pastry cook by Catherine Atkinson
the pastry
1/3 C butter
3/4 C + 2 Tb cream cheese
1/2 C flour
the filling
1 eggs
1/4 C + 2 Tb firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Tb butter
pinch salt
1/2 C pecan nuts, whole
Grease a mini muffin cup pan.
In a food processor, whirl the flour for a few pulses. Then add the cream cheese and butter (both diced) and pulse until a dough forms.
Roll out the dough thin, and line the mini muffin cups with circles of dough. Chill for at least a half hour.
I swear I could have eaten this pastry straight. It probably had something to do with the obscenely delicious amount of cream cheese involved.
While the pastry chills, make the filling.
The filling
Preheat the oven to 350.
Beat the eggs for a moment. Slowly add the brown sugar while beating, then add the vanilla, salt and butter.
Count out 12 whole pecans. Chop the rest. Place a spoon of chopped pecans in each chilled pastry cup, then cover with the filling. Place a pecan on top of each for decoration.
Bake for 20 minutes. Cool and serve at room temperature.
What is your preferred method of greasing the pan for this recipe: Crisco or butter?
ReplyDeleteI'm personally a butter girl, but either would do admirably. I think that butter and cream cheese play well together, but if you don't want to sweet-salty butter taste distracting from your pecan goodness, I'd go with Crisco. It's a much more background flavor; it'll serve to let the pies slip easily out of the pan without compromising the taste of the dish.
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