Butter Walnut Tartlets

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light cream or 1/4 cup half-and-half, 10% butterfat
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup pecans (toasted and chopped) or 1/2 cup walnuts (toasted and chopped)
• 1/8-1/4 cup ice water

Recipe

• 1 pastry.
• 2 in a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). pour 1/8 cup water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. if necessary, add more water. do not process more than 30 seconds.
• 3 turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. flatten into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using.
• 4 after the dough has chilled, place on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough and cut into 12 - 4 inch rounds. (to prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) gently place the rounds into a 12-cup muffin tin. cover and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up the dough. next, make the filling.
• 5 tart filling:.
• 6 in a medium sized saucepan lightly whisk the eggs. whisk in the butter, sugar, and cream. place on medium heat and, stirring constantly, bring this mixture just to a boil.
• 7 immediately remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. place about a teaspoon chopped nuts into the bottom of each tart shell and then fill the unbaked tart shells with the filling. bake at 375 degrees f for about 15 - 20 minutes or until the pastry has nicely browned and the filling is set. remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. serve at room temperature or chilled.