Pecan tart is a traditional dessert from the American South, often made with corn syrup but can be substituted with maple syrup or brown sugar. The crust is light and flaky, and the filling includes brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs, cream, and pecans. It is baked for 45 minutes and can be served with whipped cream or flavored spreads.
Pecan tart is homemade tart, as you might imagine, with pecans as the main ingredient. Traditional versions are very rich, thick, and a little sticky, and can be extremely sweet. There are several ways to make this cake, and some people like to experiment to find the perfect recipe. This dish is intimately associated with the American South, where it is very popular, especially during the winter holidays.
The origins of pecan pie are murky. Some people argue that this pie originated in New Orleans, where it continues to be wildly popular, while others have suggested that it may be from the South more generally. Furthermore, this dish may even be a totally invented product, used to promote Karo brand corn syrup, as the Karo company itself claims. Wherever it came from, pecan pie didn’t start appearing in recipe books until the 1920s.
The inclusion of corn syrup in pecan pie is a topic of debate. Some people argue that this dessert should include corn syrup, and many recipes specifically specify the Karo brand. Others argue that the inclusion of corn syrup makes the cake cloyingly sweet and rather unpalatable, and use alternatives such as maple syrup or brown sugar mixed with water and a dash of molasses. Ultimately, the choice is yours, but if you’ve found the pecan pie too sweet for your liking, you might want to try skipping the corn syrup.
The crust used for pecan tart is traditionally a light, flaky crust that can be almost like a shortbread cookie. Typically the crust is lightly sweetened, because the pie itself is naturally sweet, and the slightly salty flavor provides a counterpoint to the sweet pie. This type of crust is also known as potato pate or potato pâté, and it’s extremely versatile and easy to make.
To make a classic pecan pie, one cup of brown sugar is mixed with 2/3 cup corn syrup, maple syrup, or Lyle’s Golden Syrup, a British specialty, along with four tablespoons of butter and an optional tablespoon of rum. These ingredients should be brought to a boil and allowed to cool before adding three beaten eggs, a quarter cup of heavy cream and a quarter teaspoon of salt. Two cups of roasted, lightly chopped pecans can be folded into this mixture, or they can be layered on the bottom of a pre-baked pie crust with the filling poured over them.
The pecan pie is baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) for about 45 minutes, to allow for the filling to settle. It can be served with whipped cream or shaved chocolate; Flavored spreads made with maple syrup, whiskey or rum can also be delicious.
For a no-syrup alternative, the filling can consist of three eggs, one-half cup melted unsalted butter, one teaspoon rum or vanilla, and one pound (about a pound) brown sugar, whipped together with one cup of roasted chopped pecans and poured into a pie crust and baked as above.
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