Pecan Sand Tarts Recipes

PECAN SAND TARTS

Steps:

• Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C).
• Add the pecans and 1 cup (120g) of the flour to a food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times to grind the pecans into a coarse powder, the consistency of sand. Dump this mixture into a bowl and add the remaining 1 cup (120g) of flour and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
• Cream the butter and 4 tablespoons (29g) of powdered sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy - about 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
• Add the flour and pecan mixture to the butter and sugar and beat on low just until all the ingredients are combined. If you are adding mini chocolate chips, stir them into the dough now.
• Add the remaining 1 cup (115g) of powdered sugar to a bowl. Form the dough into 1 to 2-inch balls, rolling each piece between your palms, then rolling the ball of dough in the powdered sugar to coat.
• Lay the balls of sugar-coated dough on the parchment lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2-inches apart.
• For plain sand tarts and sand tarts with mini-chocolate chips, press a fork into the balls of dough, pressing down across the cookie in one direction, then again perpendicular to create a grid pattern.
• For sand tarts topped with a chocolate kiss, press a chocolate kiss into the top of each ball of dough, pressing the dough down a bit to cradle the chocolate kiss in the cookie dough.
• Bake cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and set the cookie sheet on a wire rack. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store Sand Tarts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

PECAN SAND TARTS

Steps:

• Chop the pecans rather finely but don't pulverize into a powder. Set aside. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
• Combine the butter and both sugars in a large mixing bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer set at medium-high or creaming speed, beat until light and fluffy for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice with rubber spatula.
• Add the vanilla extract and egg and beat 30 seconds longer.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer. Stir in the chopped pecans and mix well. Stir in the flour and mix only until blended.
• Gather the dough into a ball in the center of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 1/2 hours.
• When ready to bake, combine the grated chocolate and the granulated sugar and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a baking sheet.
• Dampen your fingertips with cold water. Using level tablespoons of batter for each cookie, shape the dough into bars about 3/4 to 1 inch wide and 2 1/2 inches long, patting into shape with your fingers.
• Place the bars on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
• Set the pan of cookies in the center of the preheated oven on the middle shelf and bake the cookies for 8 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the cookie tops with some of the chocolate-sugar mixture, using about 1 teaspoon per cookie. Return the cookies to the oven, reverse pan from front to back, and bake for 5 to 7 minutes longer, or until lightly browned and the topping is melted.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 2 or 3 minutes, and then remove from the pan with a metal spatula and cool completely on the rack.
• Bake the remaining cookies, one pan at a time, in the same way.

TINY PECAN TARTS

Steps:

• To Make Pastry: Cream butter or margarine and cream cheese. Add flour and mix well. Make into 48 balls; place one ball in each cup of a mini tart pan. Use your fingers or a tart tamper to press out into a tart shell.
• To Make Filling: Break the eggs, but do not beat. Add sugar, melted butter, salt, vanilla and pecans. Mix well. Fill the tart shells. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for about 30 minutes or until delicately browned.

AUNT RUTH'S PECAN SAND TARTS

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add vanilla and nuts.
• Add flour, 1 cup at a time.
• Shape into little thin rolls - cut in to little "fingers".
• Bake at 300 degrees for 10-12 minutes until bottoms start to barely brown.
• Let set on baking sheet for five minutes.
• When cool, roll in powdered sugar.

SAND TARTS

Steps:

• Beat butter in large bowl until light. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar and vanilla. Add flour and mix until just blended. Stir in nuts. Shape dough into a ball, then flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place on prepared sheets, spacing evenly. Bake about 20 minutes, or until firm and lightly colored.
• Sift 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Transfer cookies to confectioners' sugar while still warm and roll gently to coat. Immediately transfer cookies to plastic bag and seal (this makes the cookies sweat and form an icing). Let stand 5 minutes in the bag. Transfer to rack and cool.