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And look, I’m a huge pecan pie fan. I was born in Mississippi, and used to gorge myself on the pecans that fell from the tree in my grandparents’ backyard, stomping on the shells as I munched. Pecans are my favorite nut and walnuts have always been something I could take or leave.
But this tart is what a pecan pie wishes it was—and a great example of the type of recipe you’ll find in our cookbook “Milk Street Bakes.” Instead of a gooey, almost gelatinous, corn syrup-sweetened filling, you get a buttery, honeyed caramel that complements the slight bitterness of the nuts. There’s no rolling or transferring pie dough to a pan—the cookie-like tart shell is a press-and-bake affair. And it requires very little active time on your part, about 20 minutes.
A spoonful of vinegar brings balance to a honeyed caramel
I’ve enjoyed some truly excellent, balanced pecan pies throughout the course of my life, but I’ve also been subjected to some real stinkers—teeth-achingly sweet, jiggly fillings with far too much corn syrup and scant smatterings of pecans. This tart respects the nuts. Instead of hiding their light under a cloying bushel, it highlights them with a simple caramel for extra complexity—caramelization sets off a chain of reactions that creates hundreds of new flavor compounds. A measure of honey adds some lovely floral notes.
For our version, we tone down the sweetness with a small measure of crème fraîche and a dose of cider vinegar. Don’t worry: You won’t detect anything that smacks of vinegar in the finished dessert, just a slight, fruity tang. Once the caramel has cooled a bit, we add a couple of egg yolks to help the filling set as it bakes. Unlike some pecan pies I’ve encountered, this tart slices cleanly and beautifully—no goo dripping out from the crust.
Don’t overcook the caramel
Walnuts are plenty bitter on their own, so keep this caramel on the lighter side. When cooking the caramel, aim for an amber hue instead of a dark, golden brown. This should take about eight minutes over medium heat, so use a timer if you’re not confident about spotting the color change.
If you can work with Play-Doh, you can make this crust
You know Pecan Sandies, those shortbread-like cookies that crumble in the most pleasing manner? This crust eats like that cookie, but better, with whole-wheat flour that plays up the earthiness of the walnuts. And there’s no rolling or draping in a pie tin; just pulse the ingredients together in the food processor and press it into a tart pan. It’s as easy as playing with Play-Doh.
The dough-lined tart pan can be prepared in advance. After the dough has firmed up, wrap tightly in plastic and freeze for up to two weeks.
Flaky salt and crème fraîche are the perfect finishing touches
Pecan pie typically is served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or mound of sweetened whipped cream, but those will only obscure the more nuanced flavors in the tart. Finish it with a dollop of crème frâiche or a sprinkling of flaky sea salt to highlight the complex sweetness. If you must have whipped cream, leave it unsweetened. To do otherwise would disrespect the caramel.
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