Pecan Tassies

I must admit that I am not a huge pie fan. I'll eat two kinds of pie, fresh strawberry pie and pecan pie. I think part of it is contributed to the fact that I don't like jelly or cream that tends to be what the fillings are. Now if I had to chose a pie to eat, it would be pecan pie. It's the combination of the pecans and the chewy brown sugar filling that makes it so enjoyable to eat.

This recipe isn't for pecan pie but for pecan tassies. They are mini pecan pise and they are absolutely divine. In my household, we like more pecans in our filling than the sugar mixture and this recipe does exactly that. You get that crunch from the pecans and the brown sugar filling isn't too overwhelming that you forget the pecans are there. Also, pecan pie like any pie, is very high in calories and fat, so eating a pecan tassie will give you the satisfaction of a pecan pie without adding all those extra calories! Also, these are great for parties because your guests can just pick one up and pop it in their mouth.

When we talk about pies, there are two main components. One is the filling and the second is a crust. The crust can truly make a pie from ordinary to extraordinary. The crust for the pecan tassies is not your typical pie crust because there is cream cheese which adds a nice dimension to the pecan tassies. The crust is buttery and flaky and complements the filling perfectly. Give these a try and you won't regret it!



Pecan Tassies
compliments of Better Homes and Garden Cook Book (slightly modified)


Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 ounces package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
dash of salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 F
2. For pastry, in a mixing bowl, beat the 1/2 c. butter and cream cheese until combined. Stir in flour and salt. Press a rounded teaspoon of pastry evenly into the bottom and up the sides of 24 ungreased 1-3/4 inch muffin cups.
3. For pecan filling, in a mixing bowl beat egg, brown sugar, and the tablespoon of melted butter until combined. Stir in pecans. Spoon about 1 heaping teaspoon into each pastry lined muffin cup.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is puffed. Cool slightly in pan. Carefully transfer to a wire rack and let cool.