Pecan Tassies
When you grow up Italian, you learn early that no other relationship you have will compare to the one you share with your grandmothers. Both my grandmothers are incredible in the kitchen and I've been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of some of their recipes. Some of these recipes were not actually recipes to begin with, but rather had to be written down as my grandmothers threw things together like they normally do. Talk about a labor of love!
My Memaw's pecan tassies were a favorite of mine as soon as I was old enough to appreciate baked goods with nuts. Don't roll your eyes at that – you know you felt the same way as a kid. It definitely helps that this recipe surrounds the pecans with sugar and butter and cream cheese. Admittedly, though, (side tangent coming, get ready) I still don't see why people feel the need to add nuts to so many treats. Just leave the brownies alone! Mise en place, and nuts' place is nowhere near the brownie batter.
I was gifted this recipe from my grandmother as part of the wedding festivities when I married Evan last year, and I didn't waste too much time before trying it. What's extra special is that I now have this recipe in my grandmother's beautiful script.
You'll need a mini muffin tin or two for this recipe, so if you don't have a couple of those, go get some. These little treats are meant to be gone in two bites. Trust me, you'll be glad for the portion control, and they will still disappear too quickly.
PECAN TASSIES
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
3 oz cream cheese (get the block, not the spread, and don't you dare get reduced fat!)
8 T butter
Filling
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 T melted butter
1 egg
1 cup chopped pecans
1 t vanilla extract
A dash of salt
Powdered sugar (optional)
Directions
Set out butter and cream cheese on counter to soften.
Mix the crust ingredients together until well-incorporated. Distribute between ~24 mini muffin tins. Press the dough against the bottom and the sides of each well so that it forms a small cup.
Mix all the filling ingredients together, and use this to fill the tins, about one full teaspoon in each well.
Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack, and sprinkle powdered sugar lightly on each one if you'd like to! Makes 24.
Consume with a cup of coffee and good company like a true Italian would!
Happy Eating,
Natalie