Pecan Tarts

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday. I had a great long weekend celebrating my hubby's birthday, spending time with family, shopping for some great deals, scrapbooking with friends, and of course, baking with my daughter. We made some incredible desserts, and I can't wait to share all of them with you. Let's start with these pecan tarts.

If you haven't guessed by now, I love personal sized desserts - cupcakes, cookies, single size cheesecakes, cake balls, and of course, tarts. I love them because they are easier to store, easier to serve and easier to transport than their full-size counterparts.

Are you ready? 

What You Will Need:
Round Cookie Cutter (Approximately 3")
Non-Stick Cooking Spray
Muffin Tins
Cooling Racks

Ingredients:
Pastry Dough (Posted on May 18, 2013)
1 cup Corn Syrup, Light or Dark (I used dark.)
3 Large Eggs
1 cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups Pecans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Once dough is rolled out, cut circles of dough with the cookie cutter.

Lightly spray the muffin tins with the non-stick cooking spray. Place one circle of dough in each muffin tin.

In a bowl mix together corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla with a spoon.

Add pecans and stir.

Scoop batter into muffin tins, filling approximately 3/4 full.

Bake for 25-35 minutes. Let tarts cool in the tins for 20 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

Aren't they beautiful? Trust me, they taste as good as they look. It is incredibly hard to eat just one. 

Make them yourself, you won't be disappointed. Let me know if you have the willpower to eat just one.


"Gratitude turns what we have into enough."

What a powerful statement. Do you have enough? Or do you need to spend some time counting your blessings? We all, including me, could spend a little more time on that. 

~Sheryl

Caramel Topped Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

I love the way pumpkin, caramel and pecans go together. The great thing about these cookies, besides the fact that they have pumpkin, caramel and pecans, is that the high content of brown sugar actually gives the cookies themselves a caramelly texture. 

Try them, you will surely like them.

Makes 3 dozen cookies

What You Will Need:
KitchenAid Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
Small Scoop
Silicone Lined Cookie Sheets
Cooling Rack Lined Baking Pan
Microwave Safe Bowl

Ingredients:
Cookies
1/4 cup Soy Flour
1/4 cup Potato Starch
1/4 cup Tapioca Starch/Flour
1 teaspoon Xanthum Gum
1 teaspoon Cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg (optional)
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Large Egg
2 cups Steel Cut or Old Fashion Oats
1/2 cup Pecans, chopped
Caramel Topping
3/4 cup Kraft Caramel Bits
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
2 Tablespoons 2% or Whole Milk
Topping
1/2 cup Pecans, chopped

I didn't use the spices in my cookies. However, after making them, I think the spices would add a nice depth of flavor. Try them either way, I know you will like them.

Description:
Preheat oven to 350°F

In a small bowl, whisk together soy flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthum gum, sugar, salt & baking soda.

In KitchenAid Stand Mixer bowl with paddle attachment, beat together butter, pumpkin, vanilla and egg.

Add dry ingredients and mix.

Add oats and mix.

Add pecans and mix.

Scoop dough onto lined cookies sheet approximately 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10 minutes, then gently press cookies.

Bake for another 5 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack lined baking sheet. Let cool completely.

In a small, microwave safe bowl, mix together caramel bits, butter and milk. Microwave on high for 30 second intervals until completely melted. Let cool.

Drizzle caramel on cooled cookies.

Sprinkle chopped pecans on cookies.

Mmmmm. Look how pretty they look all lined up like that! The good news is they taste really good too. They would be perfect as a little treat after your Thanksgiving feast.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, his love endures forever."
 ~ Psalm 107:1

As you count your blessings and give thanks this Thanksgiving, don't forget to be thankful for God and all He has given you.

~Sheryl

Caramel Apple Tart

It's time! I promised an amazing apple recipe, and here it is. Prepare to have your socks knocked off. This apple tart is just the right mix of sweet, tart, and crunchy in a buttery pastry crust; AND it is super simple to make. What more could you ask for, right?

As far as I'm concerned, you really can't ask for more. Not only is it delicious, but it is also a show stopper. Although it is quick and easy to make, it's rustic look is sure to impress any of your toughest critics.

What You Will Need:
Pastry Mat or Clean Surface for Rolling Dough
Rolling Pin
Baking Stone or Pizza Pan
Pastry Brush

Ingredients:
Pastry Dough (see post from May 18, 2013)
1/2 cup Kraft Caramel Bits
2 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Granny Smith Apples; cored, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
2 tablespoons Corn Starch
1/2 cup Pecans, chopped
1/8 cup Apple Jelly

Directions:
On a well-floured (soy flour or any other gluten free flour) surface, roll out pastry dough until approximately 1/8 inch thick.

(As you can see, my crust was not a perfect circle.

That is fine, but I would try to make it a little

more even if you can. Because mine was such an

odd shape, most of the caramel was able to

ooze out while it was baking in the oven.

More on that later.)

Roll dough onto your rolling pin, and transfer it to your baking stone or pizza pan.

In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine caramel bits and heavy whipping cream. Melt in microwave for approximately 50 seconds, checking and stirring after 30. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a medium bowl, mix together apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and corn starch. Set aside.

Spread cooled caramel over center of dough. This will create the size of the bottom of the tart. Be mindful that you leave enough dough to come up over the apples to create a side. (If you don't have enough dough to create a solid side for the tart, all of your delicious caramel will ooze out during the baking process. As you can see, I was not very mindful of this, and my caramel oozed out. Very sad situation.)

Layer apples over caramel in a pretty flower pattern. (Of course the pretty flower pattern is optional, but it adds to the stability of the tart, and to the "wow" factor.)

Sprinkle with pecans.

Fold dough up and over the filling. The middle should be open. (If you have too much dough, you can tear some off to create an open center.)

In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt apple jelly - approximately 30 seconds.

Brush melted jelly over the entire tart.

Bake for 20-30 minutes (until golden brown).

Doesn't that look scrum-ditilly-umptious!?! Believe me, I had a hard time not eating the whole thing. Just think, if it was that good after all of my caramel oozed out, how great is yours going to be? It's a good thing the pastry dough recipe makes two pie crusts. . .

Slice it like a pie, and serve it warm.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Believe in yourself. You can do amazing things when you do.

Sheryl

Turtle Cupcakes

I know it is the season of apples and pumpkins, and I should be baking something with one of them; especially since we went to the apple orchard last weekend, and bought a 1/2 bushel of apples. However, after the past two weeks of mind-numbing training at my new job, I was in desperate need of CHOCOLATE! These turtle cupcakes seemed like the perfect fix.

If chocolate isn't your thing, then I think you should go see your doctor. But seriously, if chocolate really isn't your thing, then keep an eye out, cuz there will be some apple recipes coming in the very near future. Then I promise to do some pretty amazing things with pumpkin as well. But for now, hold onto your socks, because we are going to make some turtle cupcakes.

What You Will Need:
KitchenAid Mixer with Paddle Attachment
Small Saucepan or Microwave Safe Bowl
Cupcake Tins
Cupcake Liners
Scoop
Cooling Racks

Ingredients:
Cupcakes
3/4 cup Soy Flour
1/2 cup Tapioca Starch/Flour
1/4 cup Potato Starch
1 teaspoon Xanthum Gum
1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
3/4 cup Brown Sugar, firmly packes
1/2 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
3 Large Eggs, room temperature
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, melted
1 1/2 Cups Milk
1 teaspoon Vinegar
1 cup Pecans, chopped

Ganache
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/3 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Caramel Sauce
3/4 cup Kraft Caramel Bits
4 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup Pecans, chopped for sprinkling on top

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together soy flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, xanthum gum, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. 

In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of canola oil. (You can melt the chips in the microwave. My microwave was on the fritz when I made these, otherwise I would have.) 

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In the KitchenAid Mixer with paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla. 

Add eggs, one at a time, until well combined.

Beat in melted chocolate until combined.

Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture, alternating with milk, until well combined.

Beat in chopped pecans until blended.

Line baking tins with baking liners.

Scoop batter into baking tins.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on cooling racks to cool completely.

In a small saucepan, heat ganache ingredients, stirring constantly, until melted. (You can also do this in the microwave if you choose.)

Pour into a bowl and let cool slightly.

Spoon ganache onto cupcakes and spread.

In small saucepan, heat caramel sauce ingredients, stirring constantly, until melted. (You can also do this in the microwave if you choose.)

Pour into a bowl and let cool slightly.

Drizzle over cupcakes.

Sprinkle chopped pecans over cupcakes.

If you have more caramel sauce, drizzle it over the pecans.

One word - Delicious!

"Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sheryl