Brown sugar pecan tartlets

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan forced). Butter the base and sides of the mini muffin pans.

Pastry
Place the chopper blade in the chopper bowl. Layer in some of the butter, cream cheese, flour and icing sugar and repeat layers. Cover and attach motor body. Process on speed 3 for 25 seconds or until a soft pastry forms (do not over mix).
Transfer the pastry and to a lightly floured surface. Form into a ball and smooth with lightly floured hands.

Take a small walnut size piece of pastry and roll into a small ball, place into the mini muffin well. With lightly floured finger tips, press the dough gently into the base and up the sides to form a small tartlet shell. Repeat with the remaining pastry.

Filling
Place the chopper blade into the chopper bowl. Add the pecans. Cover and attach the motor body. Process on speed 3 for 8-10 seconds or until nuts are finely chopped. Add the brown sugar, egg, butter, vanilla, orange blossom water and cinnamon. Cover and process on speed 3 for 8 seconds or until well combined.

Divide filling evenly into shells and top with an extra pecan. Bake on the centre shelf for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing the tartlets to a rack. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Tips

• Orange blossom water is available from good delicatessens and specialty stores. Use 1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind as a replacement.
• Layering in the pastry ingredients allows for easy mixing.
• Tartlets will keep well in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
• Pecans can be substituted for walnuts