Ingredients
- FOR THE PASTRY:
- 150g plain flour
- 75g butter (chilled, cut into cubes)
- 25g icing sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1tsp cold water, if needed
- FOR THE FILLING:
- 100g butter
- 100g soft brown sugar
- 100ml maple syrup (plus 30ml to roast pecans)
- 150g pecan nuts
- 3 medium eggs, lightly whisked
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
- 30-50ml rum (optional)
1. Grease a 20cm loose bottom tart tin (3cm deep). Preheat oven to 180 degrees (fan).
2. To make the pastry, sieve the flour into a bowl. Add the diced butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in icing sugar and salt. With a dinner knife, work in the egg yolk, then bring together to a firm dough (add a little water if it appears very dry to help the mixture come together into a ball). Wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes.
3. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface and use to line the tin (rolling the pin once over the tin rim trims any overhanging pastry). To bake the pastry blind, prick the base lightly with a fork, line with parchment paper and fill with baking beans (or uncooked rice or lentils). Place in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until light golden in colour. Remove the beans and paper and set aside (if you want to seal the pastry fully, brush the pastry with any remaining egg white and return to the oven for five minutes).
4. Over a low heat, melt the butter, sugar and 100ml of maple syrup together, stirring over a gentle heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
5. To toast the pecans, heat an extra 30ml maple syrup and stir into the whole pecans, coating them well. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake the maple-coated pecans in the preheated oven for 4 minutes first (watch the pecans very carefully as they can burn very quickly), then stir again and continue to bake for another four to five minutes, removing them as soon as they start to darken in colour. Set aside 10-14 large pecans to decorate the top of the tart. You can either roughly chop the remaining pecans or leave them whole for the filling, if you wish.
6. When ready to bake the tart, mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, sea salt and rum (if using) into the butter and syrup mixture, stirring until fully combined.
7. Lastly, add in the chopped pecans and pour the mixture into the prebaked tart case, bake at 180 degrees (fan) for about 30 mins or until the mixture is bubbling, puffed up and set in the centre.
8. Decorate the top of the tart with the reserved pecans. Allow to cool fully in the tin. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
