| PASTRY: - 1 ¼ cup flour - pinch salt - 2 tablespoons salt - 1 stick (4-oz) sweet butter, cut into pieces - 1 egg yolk - 3 tablespoons cold water FILLING: - 1 egg - ¼ cup sugar - ½ cup brown sugar - 1 ½ teaspoon milk - 1 ½ teaspoon flour - ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, walnuts, or pecans - ¼ cup (2-oz) sweet butter, melted & cooled - 1 teaspoon vanilla - powdered sugar, for dusting the tarts Place dry pastry ingredients in a food processor, pulse to combine Add the butter, distributing around on top of the flour, pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs Mix together the egg yolk & the cold water With the machine running, pour the egg mixture, process until the dough forms a ball Pat the dough into a round circle & sprinkle lightly with flour, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer Butter the insides of a regular sized muffin tin On a lightly flour surface, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness Using a round 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out the dough, press each round into the prepared muffin tin, set aside or refrigerate Pre-heat oven to 350º F In a bowl, blend the filling ingredients, mix to combine Place 1 tablespoon of the filling into the pastry shell cups Bake until the filling has set, about 20-25 minutes Cool on racks before removing the mini tarts from the tin Dust with powdered sugar Yields 18 mini tarts |
| Mini Nut Tarts |