If you love pecan pie, but dislike sugary-gummy filling, try this tart. The frozen puff pastry is a time saver. A layer of unsweetened chocolate cuts sweetness and also gives the tart enough body to eat out of hand, like a cookie. Serves 10-12.
Prepare tart pastry:
Use ½ lb. defrosted but still cold butter puff pastry (half of one Trader Joe’s package; Dufour comes in a 14 ounce package, which means your tart will be slightly smaller). With a bit of flour, roll out more thinly to a larger rectangle, making the new rectangle approximately two inches longer and two inches wider than the original. Keep the pastry on parchment (re-use the one it came in but turn the pastry so it fits).
With a knife, score (don’t cut through) a smaller rectangle, creating a ¾ inch-1 inch rim for the tart. Prick the middle all over with a fork. I have in the past taken the trouble to blind bake with pie weights, but it’s not worth it. If the pastry puffs, just prick with a fork or press down with your fingers. You can also do this after you take it out of the oven so you don’t burn yourself. The weight of the filling compresses the pastry.
Bake 15 min at 375 on bottom rack of oven. Since ovens vary so much, keep an eye on it. You want the bottom of the pastry darker than the rest, and the top lightly golden.
While pastry is baking, make the caramel custard filling:
In a small saucepan, whisk 2 egg yolks, 1/4 cup golden or corn or maple syrup, ½ cup sugar, 1 Tbs. molasses, (or 1/2 cup brown sugar, which is just sugar +molasses), 3 Tbs. butter, ¼ cup heavy cream, ½ tsp salt (if butter is unsalted). Whisk over medium low heat until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract or 1 Tbs. bourbon. Taste and add a bit more salt if you like.
Take pastry out of oven when very lightly golden; at this point you can also let it sit until you are ready to resume.
Scatter pricked part of pastry with 3 ounces finely chopped unsweetened or 85% or more cocoa content bittersweet chocolate. The chocolate makes the pastry more firm at room temperature and it also counteracts the sweetness of the caramel. You can leave it out for a more traditional pecan tart. The photo below was taken before pouring the caramel and baking for a second time. You’ll see the chocolate melting below the pecans.
Cover with 6-7 ounces pecan halves. They can be arranged in a pattern or scattered.
Pour the prepared filling over the center part of the tart with pecans (and chocolate, if using). If the filling is lumpy, pour through a sieve. Don’t use all the filling if it will run over the edges of the tart.
Bake again at 350 on bottom rack for 15-20 minutes or until filling is bubbling and looks drier and translucent (not necessarily in the middle) and the pastry is darker golden brown. Let cool 30 minutes before serving with whipped cream. The tart stays edible at room temperature for 3 days. It can be warmed a bit for serving, or eaten out of hand at room temperature like a cookie bar.
Natasha Saje 