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Recipe Detail Page
White Bean Tarts with Toffee Pecans
Autumn 2013
The generous ooey-gooey layer of pecans atop these honey-laced tarts makes them sweetly decadent! Beans are a significant local crop and the Ontario White Bean Producers have myriad truly creative recipes available on their website (ontariobeans.on.ca). Plain canned navy beans are available under the Mr. Goudas brand.
Makes 12 tarts
TARTS
½ cup (125 mL) softly cooked navy or pea beans
¼ cup (60 mL) clear honey
1 egg
2 tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar
3 tbsp (45 mL) butter, melted
1 tbsp (15 mL) cider vinegar or lemon juice
½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla
1 box (255 g) 12 frozen tart shells
TOPPING
2 cups (500 mL) pecans
? cup (80 mL) clear honey
¼ cup (60 mL) sugar
½ cup (125 mL) 35% whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
1 To make filling, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2 Whirl beans with honey, egg, brown sugar, butter, vinegar and vanilla in a blender or food processor until well mixed.
3 Dividing equally, fill shells with bean mixture; smooth. Bake in centre of preheated oven for 25 minutes or until dome-shaped filling and pastry are lightly golden. Cool completely on tray on a rack during which tart centres become slightly concave.
4 For topping, spread pecans on a baking pan. Once the tarts are baked, place pecans in oven to toast for 8 minutes, stirring once, or until fragrant. Watch carefully, as pecans easily burn. Cool on a rack while making toffee.
5 To make toffee, combine honey and sugar in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan. Rather than stirring, shake or swirl pan gently a few times while bringing mixture to a boil over medium heat.
6 Meanwhile, in a measuring cup in microwave, heat cream and butter together for 45 seconds or until very hot but not boiling. Continue boiling sugar mixture, swirling pan occasionally, until it has turned a rich caramel colour. Remove pan from heat. Avert face and hands as much as possible while pouring in cream mixture; stir.
7 Reduce heat to low; return pan to stove. Place a room-temperature ceramic plate on counter nearby. Gently boil mixture, stirring occasionally, for exactly 3 minutes. Then while continuing to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, keep dropping a few drops on the plate until it forms a soft ball that does not quickly run when the plate is tilted. Do not cook beyond 5 minutes in total. Stir in pecans; remove from heat.
8 Dividing equally, while using 2 spoons, top each tart with some of toffee-coated pecans. Cool and serve. Tarts can be loosely covered and kept at room temperature for a day. (Note: refrigerating the tarts is unnecessary; however if you do, return to room temperature before serving, as cold pecan topping is very hard.)
Makes 12 tarts
