Pecan Macaroon And Fig Tart Food

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.

PECAN MACAROON AND FIG TART

Steps:

• For Filling:
• Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until figs are very tender, about 35 minutes. Uncover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and filling is thick, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer filling to processor. Using about 5 on/off turns, process just until mixture holds together. Transfer to small bowl; cool filling. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• For Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 13 3/4x4-inch rectangular tart pan with removable bottom onto waxed paper. Trace outline of pan bottom on paper; set paper aside. Line pan with heavy-duty foil. Grease foil; dust with matzo cake meal. Combine 2 cups pecans, sugar, ginger and salt in processor; finely grind nuts. Add egg and process until moist clumps form. Using moistened fingertips, press 1 cup dough over bottom and up sides of prepared pan (crust will be thin). Bake crust until puffed and dry looking, about 14 minutes. Transfer pan to rack; press bottom of crust lightly to flatten. Cool crust completely. Maintain over temperature.
• Stir 4 ounces chocolate in top double boiler set over simmering water until melted. Spread over bottom of crust. Spoon 1 3/4 cups filling over chocolate (reserve remaining filling for another use).
• Press remaining dough over traced rectangle on waxed paper, filling outline completely. Using paper as aid, turn dough rectangle over onto tart, aligning carefully; peel off paper. Pinch edge of crust and top dough together to seal.
• Bake tart until top is golden and dry looking, about 28 minutes. Cool tart completely in pan on rack. (Can be prepared ahead. Wrap in foil and store 1 day at room temperature or refrigerate up to 5 days.) Push up pan bottom to release tart. Peel off foil from bottom.
• If desired, dip spoon into melted chocolate and drizzle in zigzag pattern over tart; then dip pecan halves halfway into melted chocolate and arrange decoratively around edge. Chill until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes. Serve tart cold or at room temperature.

COCONUT MACAROON PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Unroll crust into a 9-in. pie plate; flute edge. Refrigerate while preparing filling., In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, melted butter, extract and salt until blended. Stir in flour. Reserve 1/2 cup coconut; stir remaining coconut into egg mixture. Transfer to pie crust. Sprinkle with reserved coconut., Bake on a lower oven rack until golden brown and filling is set, 35-45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

MACAROON ANGEL TARTS

Steps:

• Prepare desseet topping mix according to package directions.
• Fold in crumbled macaroons and nuts.
• Using about 1/3 cup mixture for each, spread in bottom and up sides of 8 paper bake cups in muffin tins.
• Spoon a small scoop of sherbet into each.
• Cover loosly.
• Freeze firm, at least several hours or overnight.

PECAN BRIE TARTS

Steps:

• Bake tart shells blind, or if bought according to directions on package.
• Divide brie into 24 wedges and place in baked tart shells.
• In a saucepan, heat pecans, sugar and whiskey over medium heat, stirring until bubbly.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minutes or until thickened.
• Working quickly, spoon pecan mixture over Brie.
• (Tarts can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking). Bake in 375°F oven for 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly.