Prep time: 30 min

Cooking time: 30 min

Total time: 1 hour

Makes 6-8 x 10cm tartlets or 1 x 25cm tart

INGREDIENTS

For the Pecan Crust:

110g pecan halves

125g all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

15g butter

70g granulated sugar

1 large egg yolk

60ml (1/4 cup) water

For the Orange Butterscotch Filling:

200g dark brown sugar

Zest of 2 oranges

4 egg yolks

410ml (1 2/3 cups) full cream milk

20g cornstarch

45g butter

For the Candied Pecan Topping:

300g pecan halves

30ml (2 Tbsp) sugar

15ml (1 Tbsp) egg white, whisked

Pinch of salt

To Garnish:

Zest of 1 orange

METHOD

For the Pecan Crust:

Spray your desired tart cases with a non-stick baking spray.

Pre-heat oven to 200°C. Toast pecans until golden brown for about 8-10 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Lower the oven temperature to 175°C.

Transfer pecan nuts to a food processor and grind until fine. Add the flour and a pinch of salt, pulse just until combined and set aside until needed.

In the bowl of a mixer, mix the butter and sugar with paddle attachment (don’t cream). Add egg yolk and mix for 5 seconds. Add flour and water and mix till dough has formed.

Press the dough evenly in prepared tart cases. Place in the freezer and allow to set for 15 minutes. Remove from the freezer and transfer to the oven. Blind bake till cooked and golden brown for about 15-20 minutes.

For the Orange Butterscotch Filling:

Whisk sugar, orange zest and egg yolks until creamy.

Mix milk with cornstarch and whisk into egg mixture.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Simmer for 1 minute until the cornstarch is cooked. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Pour filling into tart cases and allow to cool. Cover with clingwrap, then set in fridge for at least 4 hours.

For the Candied Pecan Topping:

Heat oven to 180°C.

In a bowl, combine the pecans, sugar, egg white and a pinch of salt.

Spread the mixture on a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy. Garnish your tartlets with the candied pecans and store any left-over candied pecans in an airtight container.

Finish with fresh orange zest.