Maple Pecan Tart
This Maple Pecan Tart is the prettiest little tart I’ve seen lately! A filling of chopped and whole pecans, flavored with maple syrup, is poured over a tender, flaky crust and topped with cute little leaf cut-outs. Finished with maple cinnamon whipped cream, this is sure to become a family favorite!
This is not a traditional pecan pie with a gooey filling. Instead, it is more like a pecan bar and it is out of this world!
The crust is made in the food processor which eliminates the need to chop in the hard butter. Simply combine the flour, salt and sugar in the processor and add the cubed butter and process until it resembles coarse meal.
With the processor running, add ice water until the dough holds together. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
When ready, roll out the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick (about a 12-inch circle). Transfer it to a tart pan and lightly press down. Trim off the excess and use that to cut out leaf-shaped cookies to top the pie. Chill the crust and cut-outs.
For the filling, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, butter and heavy cream in a sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and add chopped pecans. Take the pan off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
Spoon the filling into the prepared crust and top with pecan halves. Place it in the oven on a pre-heated sheet pan (the pan will catch any drippings). Bake the tart for 40-45 minutes and then cool on a wire rack for at least one hour prior to serving.
To bake the cut-out leaves, first brush heavy cream over them and sprinkle with sugar. Pop them into the hot oven and bake for 13-15 minutes, until golden brown. Let them cool before adding them to the top of the tart.
To make the maple cinnamon whipped cream, pour the heavy cream into a mixer bowl and add sugar. Whip on medium speed until the cream starts to thicken. Add the maple extract and cinnamon and whip until soft peaks form.
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Maple Pecan Tart
Makes: 8 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 to 4 tbsp ice water
Filling:
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 cups pecans, chopped
- 1 & 1/2 cups pecan halves
Maple Cinnamon Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp maple extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Crust:
Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add cubed butter and process for 10 seconds, just until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the food processor running, add 2 tablespoons ice water in a steady stream through feed tube. If needed, add additional ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, and process just until dough holds together in large clumps (no more than 30 seconds). Wrap dough in plastic and flatten slightly to form a disc. Chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days, or place in a freezer bag and freeze up to 1 month).
Spray a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan lightly with nonstick spray. Place disc of dough on a floured board and dust dough with flour. Roll out dough (roll dough in one direction, then lift up dough and rotate a quarter turn and roll, then repeat) until dough is 1/4-inch thick, approximately a 12-inch circle. If dough starts to stick, use a bench scraper to lift dough from board. Transfer dough to prepared tart pan, lightly pressing down into the bottom and sides of the pan. Run the rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to remove the excess dough, and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes. If desired, punch out decorative leaf shapes from the leftover dough; chill cut outs in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Filling:
Combine brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, heavy cream, and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a boil and stir in chopped pecans. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes before assembling tart.
Preheat oven to 350°F and place a rimmed baking sheet in the middle of the oven. Spoon filling into chilled tart shell and top with pecan halves in a decorative pattern. Place tart on pre-heated baking sheet.
Bake tart for 40 to 45 minutes, until filling is bubbly and pastry is golden. Cool tart on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.
Brush pastry leaf cut outs with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool before adding to the top of the tart.
Maple Cinnamon Whipped Cream:
Pour heavy cream into a chilled mixer bowl fitted with wire whip attachment. Add sugar and whip on medium speed until cream begins to thicken. Add maple extract and cinnamon; whip the cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Serve immediately.
Recipe by Tutti Dolci
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