Nectarine Pecan Cookie Tarts Food

NECTARINE TART

Steps:

• Blend flour, salt and 2 tablespoons sugar in a bowl or food processor. Dice 8 tablespoons of the butter. Use a pastry blender or two knives to blend flour mixture and butter, or pulse them together in a food processor to make a crumbly mixture. Beat the egg yolk with 3 tablespoons cold water. Dribble it over the flour mixture, then stir or pulse slowly until the mixture starts clumping together. A bit more water may be necessary. Gather dough in a loose ball and form into a disk on a lightly floured surface.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out dough and line a 10-inch loose-bottom tart pan. Line pastry with a sheet of foil and spread pastry weights or dry beans on top. Bake 12 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter, cooking it on low until it turns a light nut brown. Pit fruit (except figs) and cut in eighths or, if fruit is small, fourths. After 12 minutes, remove foil and weights from pastry. Return pastry to oven and continue baking until it is lightly browned, another 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pastry from oven and increase temperature to 400 degrees.
• Brush pastry with preserves. Arrange fruit in tight concentric circles, starting by placing it around the perimeter, skin side down, against the vertical sides of the pastry and standing it up as much as possible. Brush with melted butter. Dust with remaining sugar. Bake about 35 to 40 minutes, until edges have browned but fruit has not collapsed. Cool before serving with crème fraîche.

PECAN TARTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy; blend in flour and salt. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Shape into 1-in. balls; press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased mini-muffin cups. , For filling, in a small bowl, beat the egg. Add brown sugar, butter and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Spoon into tart shells. , Bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before carefully removing from pans. Garnish with maraschino cherries if desired.

NECTARINES AND PEACHES WITH LAVENDER SYRUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast pecans on a rimmed baking sheet, stirring once, until slightly darkened in color and fragrant, 10-12 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, bring honey, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and 3 Tbsp. water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Add rosemary and lavender and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Remove rosemary and let syrup cool.
• Bring a pinch of salt, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 Tbsp. water to a boil in another small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook (without stirring) until sugar turns a light amber color, about 2 minutes. Add pecans and cook, stirring constantly, until nuts are coated and caramel is a dark amber color, about 2 minutes. Immediately scrape out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread out into a single layer; let cool. Break into smaller pieces.
• Toss nectarines, peaches, lemon zest, and 1/4 cup syrup in a large bowl to coat. Let sit 5 minutes. Gently toss in half of Gorgonzola and half of candied pecans; taste and season with salt if needed. Transfer to a platter. Top with remaining Gorgonzola and candied pecans.
• Do Ahead
• Syrup can be made 1 month ahead; cover and chill. Pecans can be candied 1 day ahead; store airtight at room temperature.