I needed something to use up the rest of the sweet shortcrust pastry I made for the pear tart the other day, so I turned to Edmonds to see what I had the ingredients for. What I really wanted to make was the lemon tart (tarte au citron), but I was all out of cream. So I decided I'd try Edmonds' take on the classic American pecan pie. (Which they've dubbed "pecan tart" presumably because "pie" generally refers to a savoury meat and/or vegetable-filled pastry in NZ while "tarts" are a sweet dessert pastry.)

I enjoyed Edmonds pecan tart. That said it's nothing like the American classic pecan pie that I know. This was much heavier on the nuts and lighter on the sugar than the American version. It was also much shallower with a darker, sweeter crust. Edmonds only calls for about 1/4 the amount of sugar I'd expect based on the number of pecans they call for. And they also have you blind bake the pastry shell before filling it. Which does result in a well-browned, crisp crust. That said, I'm used to pecan pie having a lighter, slightly softer crust that comes from pouring the filling straight into the unbaked pie shell. Both versions are good but, all-in-all, I think I prefer the sweet, deep dish, American version. (Possibly just because that's what I'm used to.) However, if you're ever looking for a less sweet take on a pecan pie that puts more of a focus on the nuts and cuts back on the sweet, buttery filling, this recipe is probably for you!

Edmonds calls for baking this pie in a shallow 8" tin. I tried that. I filled my tin right up to the brim and still had enough filling left over to make a dozen 2" tarts. Given that, I'd actually recommend baking this in a shallow 10" tin. (Or, if you're going for the classic American size and shape, a 9" deep dish pie plate.)

Pecan Tart

From Edmonds Cookery Book

Ingredients

• 1/2 recipe sweet shortcrust pastry
• 100g salted butter, softened
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 Tbsp. honey¹
• 200g pecans²

Directions

1. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a shallow 10" (25cm) tart tin. Chill for at least 10 minutes³.
2. Put a sheet of parchment/grease-proof paper or tin foil over the pastry and fill it with pie weights, dried beans, rice, or sugar.
3. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes.
4. Remove pie weights and paper/foil and return to oven for 5 minutes to dry out the bottom.
5. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
6. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
7. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
8. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
9. Stir in honey and pecans and mix well.
10. Pour filling into baked pie shell.
11. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30 minutes.

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¹ Edmonds calls for honey and that's what I used. Many (possibly most) American recipes use corn syrup. Maple syrup is also sometimes used, especially in Canadian butter tart recipes. Feel free to experiment with substituting corn syrup, maple syrup, or golden syrup for the honey. Or try mixing two or more of the above! ^Back
2 Traditionally pecan pie is made with pecan halves. I didn't have any on hand, so I just used chopped pecans. Flavour is the same, just doesn't look as fancy. Does make it easier to pour though. If you are working with pecan halves, I'd actually recommend putting them in the bottom of your pie shell first and then pouring the filling over them rather than trying to mix them into the filling and then pour everything in together. Either method should bake up fine, but you'll probably get a nicer look if you lay the pecans out first and then pour the filling over them. (They should sort of rise to the top during baking.) ^Back
3 If the pastry is too warm when it goes in the oven the butter will melt before the rest of the pastry has a chance to begin to cook/set and the sides will fall down. It'll look like the pastry has melted and sort of fallen down the sides of the tin. Which, basically, it has. If it's good and cold when it goes in, the butter will hold up long enough for everything to start to cook and the pastry will keep its shape. ^Back