I was 18 years the first time I had a Pecan Tassie. I had just finished my freshman year of college and was spending a couple of days with my mom's cousin, Amy, and her partner, Jean, at their house in the Columbia Gorge (White Salmon, WA to be exact). While I was there Jean did some of her holiday baking and I watched with fascination as she got out a stack of miniature muffin tins and started packing pastry crusts into each cup. She topped each crust with a batter of sugar, spices and finely chopped pecans. Soon after they were out of the oven, she offered me one to try and in one bite, I fell hard.
Ten years later, my love had not diminished. The pecan tassie and I are tight, and knowing of my affection, Jean makes an entire batch just for me each season. She and Amy are now living out here in Philly and I got an email from them just recently reminding me that I can't go back to Oregon for the holidays without a tin of tassies to take along with me.
If you have never had a pecan tassie, I implore you to give them a shot. You can find them in some bakeries, but as with other holiday delicacies, they are best when you make them yourself. They are a bit labor intensive, but the results are well worth it. Check out the recipe after the jump...Pecan Tassies
2 cups butter
1 1/2 (12 ounces total) packages cream cheese
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
.
Mix together the butter and cream cheese until well blended. Beat in flour, 1 cup at a time, until the mixture forms a dough. Roll into small balls, and press into the bottoms and sides of tart pans or mini muffin pans, making sure to get it as smooth and even as you can.
In another bowl, mix together the eggs, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the pecans. Fill each of the crusts 2/3 full with the mixture.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes in the preheated oven, until shell is light brown, and the filling has puffed up a bit. Cool, and carefully remove from pans. They are excellent with coffee.
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