Caramel Pecan Tarts

Caramel Pecan Tarts may very well be my favorite holiday dessert.  I LOVE them.  Apparently I'm not alone because I get lots of requests for this buttery, nutty dessert.  I ended up tripling the recipe and making 3 tarts so the quantities in my pictures wont reflect the recipe exactly.

Caramel Pecan Tart
3 ½ cups chopped pecans                ½ cup brown sugar
2 cups flour                                          ½ cup honey
2/3 cup powdered sugar                   2/3 cup butter
¾ cup butter                                        3 Tablespoons whipping cream

Arrange pecans on baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes at 350.  Cool.  (This seems like a really simple step but don't skip the roasting, it really brings out the flavor of the pecans.)

 
Pulse flour, powdered sugar and ¾ c. butter in cuisinart.

Pat into greased tart pan.  Bake 20 minutes at 350.

 
Combine brown sugar, honey, 2/3 c. butter in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.

Stir in pecans.

 
Spoon into crust.  Bake 25 minutes.

Drizzle cooled tart with melted chocolate.

I don't really remember where I ever found this recipe but I have been making in for years.  I even adapted into a mini version.

To make the mini tartlets, I divided the flour/butter mixture between 24 greased muffin cups and bake for 10 minutes instead of 20.  I double the amount of filling and I spoon that over the crust.  I put them back in the oven to bake for 15 minutes.  

The smell of warm pecan caramel tart baking in the oven is enough to make anyone hungry.   Fortunately for me, Ben and I already had plans to attend a Christmas party at a local Italian restaurant last night.  Dinner was delicious and I was so full when I got home that I couldn't even sample the tart.  I am happy to report that it is safely hidden tucked away in my freezer until Christmas Eve.  

Bon Appetit!