Browned Butter Pecan Tart

By Janet A. Zimmerman

Dave Scantland

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• pecan desserts

A few years ago at Herbsaint restaurant in New Orleans, I had what was possibly the best banana tart in the world. I found the recipe and modified it for the home kitchen when it occurred to me that I'm not a big fan of bananas. So I started thinking about what else I could do with the filling -- a rich, buttery baked custard. Pecans seemed like a natural, so this tart started to take shape. With or without the caramel, it's a delicious and unusual dessert for two.

Yield: 2 large or 4 small slices

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup (about 2-1/2 ounces) very coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 baked 6-inch tart shell (recipe and instructions here)

• Caramel Sauce (Optional)

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
• Pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon bourbon
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Preparation:

1. Melt the butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook over medium heat until butter browns, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.

2. Beat egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cinnamon, cardamom and vanilla and beat to combine. Gradually add the browned butter into yolk mixture, mixing after each addition. Add flour and mix to combine. Chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 300F.

4. When the batter has cooled, sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the pecans over the bottom of the cooked tart shell. Spoon the batter as evenly as possible over the pecans. Don't worry about smoothing it out; it will smooth out in the oven. Place the tart pan on a small sheet pan or cookie sheet and place in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until top has smoothed out. Remove the tart and sprinkle the reserved pecans over the top.

5. Return the tart to the oven and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes. Batter will puff up and crack slightly around the edges; a skewer inserted into the center should come out mostly clean. Remove the tart and top with optional caramel sauce if using. Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

For the optional caramel sauce: place the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt in a medium sauce pan and cook, stirring, until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes, until mixture is thick. Remove from the heat and carefully add the cream and bourbon. Stir until thoroughly combined. Let cool slightly -- caramel should be thick but pourable. Drizzle over the cooled tart.