Epicurean Bliss

Seriously, how is Thanksgiving in one week? I don’t know about you, but my 2011 flew by in the blink of an eye. I suppose this shouldn’t come as too much of a shock, since “Time flies when you’re having fun,” and 2011 has been jam-packed with tons of fun, new experiences. Still, I’m hoping time slows down a little for these last six weeks of the year so we can soak up all of the enjoyment the holiday season has to offer.

Like baking, for one. Anyone who read my blog through last year’s holidays knows the role cooking, baking in particular, holds for me and my loved ones in how we celebrate this time of year. And since the week leading up to Thanksgiving is going to consist of work, school, trailing, traveling, and (hopefully) sleeping, that leaves little time for baking! The solution? Well, I last Saturday, I made a tart. And I froze it. Fingers crossed this actually works out…

But since my Frangipane Apple Tart held up so well in the freezer for, oh, four weeks after I made it, I have high hopes for this Pecan Crunch Tart, which shares the same sweet buttery crust and a similar fluffy, nut-based filling. Not to mention that the aroma wafting out of the oven while this tart baked leads me to believe  it can be nothing short of delicious. And then there were those small morsels I sampled… Yes, my hopes for this tart are sky-high.

The recipe for Pecan Crunch Tart is a marriage of a fool-proof Pate Sucree (translation: “Sweet Paste”) pie crust, and a caramel-y, pecan-heavy filling that comes from AllRecipes.com – where over a thousand (!) home cooks deemed this pie worthy of four-and-a-half stars. I’m particularly loving the addition of chopped pecans right in the pie filling (rather than just on top) to add more pecan flavor and extra crunch in each bite! So, yeah. I was pretty psyched giving this a whirl at home.

Standard disclaimer: I haven’t actually tried a piece of this pie yet (of course not, its frozen solid in my freezer as my stomach growls in anticipation). But, given my prior experience with (eating) Pate Sucree crust, and a thousand other people’s experience with this pecan filling, I feel fairly confident in recommending this recipe to you for your Thanksgiving dessert spread this year! Are you up for the challenge?

Pecan Crunch Tart – Makes one 9-inch tart (or pie)

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients for Pate Sucree Tart Crust (makes enough for one 9″ tart)

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose Flour
• 1 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 8 Tbsp (1 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
• 1 egg, lightly beaten plus ice water to equal 1/4 cup