A little like mini pecan pies, these Pecan Tassies are much easier to make and every bit as delicious. The flaky cream cheese crust with maple and pecan filling is so easy to make too.
To toast the pecans (optional but recommended), scatter them on a baking tray and bake for 7-8 minutes at 350F / 180C / 160C fan forced.
FOR THE CRUST
Place the ⅓ cup pecans into a food processor and pulse until very small pieces.
Add the flour, butter and cream cheese. Process on low just until it starts clumping. This will happen very quickly, so don't over-process.
Tip the dough out onto a sheet of baking paper, pull it into a disk with your hands then chill for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C / 160C fan forced.
Grease a 24 hole mini muffin tin well with baking spray (or grease with butter, then dust well with flour).
Roll the dough out between two sheets of baking paper until very thin.
Use a cookie cutter, to cut out small circles just slightly larger than the muffin holes, then press them into the holes up the sides so they reach the top.
Place the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes.
FILLING AND ASSEMBLY
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla and salt until well combined and looking a little frothy on top.
Divide the chopped pecans evenly among the tart cases then top each with roughly 1 ½teaspoons of the filling mixture, or until evenly divided.