When good things come in small packages: Miniature pecan tarts
Let them eat Pie or let them eat Cake. As for me I will eat Pecan Pie,
― Brent M. Jones
Every Christmas certain cookies made an appearance, officially ushering in the holiday season. The Pecan Tarts were a favorite with the major issue that eating them is much faster than making them. We often ran out long before December 24th, regardless of how vigilantly my mother guarded the tin of them. These really are not likely to be a German tradition but one that my mother found in a cookbook at one point or another. Di you know that it is thought that the French invented pecan pie when they came to New Orleans and were introduced to the pecan by the native tribes living there, the Quinipissa and Tangipahoa (or so says wikipedia).
Want to make them? They ARE delicious.
Miniature Pecan Tarts
Crust:
3 oz package cream cheese
½ cup butter
1-cup flour
Filling:
1 egg
¾ cup brown sugar
1-tablespoon butter
1-teaspoon vanilla
Dash salt
1-cup pecan pieces
Preparation:
Mix the crust ingredients and chill for one hour. Shape into 2 dozen 1-inch balls. Place into tiny ungreased muffin cups. Press the dough onto the bottom and side. Beat all of the filling ingredients except the pecans until smooth. Sprinkle the pecans into the pastry cups. Add the filling. Bake 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from the oven, allow to cool. Remove from pans.
