Pie Crust

Process pecans in a food processor until fine.

Add flour, sugar, and salt and process for a few seconds until dry ingredients are just combined.

Add butter and pulse until mixture becomes crumbly and resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces, about 15 - 20 pulses.

Add egg and vanilla and keep pulsing until the dough is no longer dry and starts to clump together for about 10-15 seconds. Do not process to the point that a large ball of dough is formed. Instead, the dough should still be crumbly with some large clumps. You can test by taking a piece of dough and pressing it between your thumbs. The dough should stick without feeling dry or crumbly.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide dough. Form two balls. The dough should come together easily and should not be sticky. Flatten the balls slightly with your hands to form a thick disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You can refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to a month. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften slightly for easier rolling.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4" thickness and cut it into circles to fit your tart/mini pie pan. Repeat with the other dough disc.

If not using a silicon mold, spray your mini tart well with a good release spray. I swear by Bak-Klene.

Press the dough into each mini tart well.

Prick the bottom of each tart with a fork.

If you are using individual mini tart plans, place them on a baking sheet.

Freeze tart dough for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F°

Remove tarts from the freezer and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until slightly brown at the edges.

Let cool for 3-4 minutes and remove from tart pans. If you let them cool in the pans they are hard to get out.

You can freeze these tart/mini pie shells in an airtight container for up to two months.


Pecan Filling

Preheat oven to 350F°

Lay the individual mini pies/tarts on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper or a silpat.

Sprinkle chopped pecans over the bottom of mini pies, set aside the remaining pecans.

Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and flour together in a medium bowl until combined and thick.

Whisk in the vanilla extract, salt, eggs, and pure maple syrup until fully incorporated.

Using a tablespoon or small measuring cup, add the filling mixture evenly over the pecans, being careful to keep it inside the crust edges.

Sprinkle remaining pecan pieces over the pies. You could reserve some pecan halves to top the mini-pies.

Bake mini pies for 9 minutes.