Pecan Caramel Tart
By: Geri@heartnsoul...
Published: Monday, November 30, 2009 - 1:33pm

Ingredients




3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups al-purpose flour
teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups pecans halves
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup whipping cream

Preparation

1 Preheat oven to 350 F. 2 In a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 1/2 butter and the brown sugar until smooth. 3 Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Add flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt and beat until mixture forms a ball. 4 Press dough over bottom and up sides of a 9 - inch fluted tart pan with removable rim. Freeze until firm, 15 minutes. 5 Meanwhile spread pecans in a large baking pan. Bake until lightly golden, about 8 minutes 6 Leave oven on). When pecans are cool enough to handle, chop 2 cups; reserve remainder. 7 Bake tart shell until golden, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. 8 Meanwhile, in a 3 to 4 quart pan over medium heat, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then increase heat to high and boil,, swirling mixture occasionally, until mixture is a deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in whipping cream, remaining 1/4 cup butter and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt ( mixture will foam). Stir until smooth. 9 Spread chopped pecans in tart shell, then pour in hot caramel; spread level. Garnish edge of tart with reserved pecans halves. Let tart cool until caramel is firm enough to slice, at least 4 hours, or chill up to 2 days (bring to room temperature before serving). Cut into thin wedges.

About


The fail-safe press-in crust makes this tart easy to pull off.
Prep and cooking time, about 1 hour, plus at least 4 hours to cool.