Get ready to indulge in the rich, nutty flavors of popular homemade pecan tart, a favorite recipe from "The Art of Elegant Baking" bestseller e-book by Tetyana Verbytska. This recipe offers a classic version with a delicious chocolate sponge that enhances its appeal and makes it perfect for any occasion.
Follow this step-by-step guide to bake the perfect pecan tart that will become a staple at your holiday gatherings and special events.
During the preparation process, you'll learn how to:
- Prepare the Almond Shortcrust Pastry
- Make the Jaconde Chocolate Sponge Cake
- Prepare the Brown Sugar Syrup
- Make the Egg Wash
- Decorate and Assemble the Tart
Start by shaping the almond shortcrust pastry base for a crisp, buttery foundation suitable for various desserts.
Next, prepare the Joconde chocolate sponge, which adds a rich, moist chocolate layer ideal for tarts.
Finally, finish with a neutral glaze and toasted pecans arranged in concentric circles for a glossy, sophisticated tart.
Let's dive into this delicious Pecan Tart!
Pecan Tart Recipe
Almond Shortcrust Pastry
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 120 g diced butter
- 80 g powdered sugar
- 30 g almond flour
- 2 g salt
- 30 g eggs
1. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine diced cold butter and sieved flour until crumbs. Add dry ingredients: sieved powdered sugar and almond flour. Mix. At this step the dough is still in crumbs. Add eggs. Once the dough is homogeneous and dense, turn off the mixer.
2. Wrap with plastic the rectangle-shaped dough. Fridge overnight. Avoid hand contact with the dough not to warm it. Use a scraper or a rolling pin. When working with the dough for crust it is important that the room temperature not climb above 20-22°С.
3. Knead slightly the dough until pliable without warming it with your hands. Roll to needed thickness. To make the dough more elastic and pliable, cover the rolled dough with plastic and let set for several hours or work with it immediately. Form the dough into needed shape.
4. Bake the crust at 160°C. To get the best taste and texture it is very important that the dough be baked until saturated brown color inside.
Jaconde Chocolate Sponge Cake (Total Weight 610 g)
- 85 g eggs
- 85 g yolks
- 70 g sugar A
- 45 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g cocoa
- 70 g almond powder
- 130 g egg whites
- 50 g sugar B
- 45 g butter
Whip together eggs, yolks, and sugar until frothy. Heat the mixture over a water bath or with an induction mixer. Add sieved flour, cocoa, and almond powder. Whip egg whites with sugar B and add to the egg mixture, stirring until homogeneous. Add melted butter and stir again. Bake for about 8 minutes on a 40 x 30 baking sheet at 180°C.
Brown Sugar Syrup (Total Weight 642 g)- 90 g butter
- 215 g glucose
- 2 g salt
- 180 g brown sugar
- 155 g eggs
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add glucose, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to 80°C. Remove from heat immediately once it reaches the temperature. Cool to 60°C and add eggs, stirring until homogeneous.
Egg Wash Tart Base (Total Weight 53 g)
- 40 g yolks
- 13 g milk
Whisk all ingredients until homogeneous.
Pecans (Total Weight 400 g)- 400 g pecans
Put pecans on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes at 160°C.
Neutral Glaze (Total Weight 305 g)
- 25 g water A
- 75 g water B
- 75 g sugar A
- 75 g sugar B
- 50 g glucose
- 1 g citric acid
- 2 g pectin X58
- 2 g pectin NH
Combine sugar A with pectin and add water A. Set aside for 20 minutes. In a pan, combine water B with sugar B, then add glucose. Heat to 70°C. Whisking constantly, fold in the pectin and sugar mixture and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Add citric acid. The neutral glaze can be stored for a week in the fridge or a few months in the freezer.
• You can purchase Neutral glaze as a powder in shops
• Alternatively, you can replace it with apricot jam warmed with a samll amount of water. Be sure to pass the jam through a sieve for a smooth texture.
INSTRUCTONS:
Step 1. Prepare shortcrust pastry. Fridge it overnight. Roll the dough to 2 mm thick. Fit it into 18 cm in diameter tartlet pan. Poke the base with a fork. Let chill in a cool place for at least 4 hours.
Step 2. Bake the baskets at 160°C for about 12 minutes.
Step 3. Brush the bottom of the baked crust with egg wash. Bake for another 2 minutes at 160°C to prevent brown sugar sauce from leaking out.
Step 4. Prepare sponge cake. Cut out circles matching to the diameter of the tart base.
Step 5. Prepare sauce for baking. Beware of the temperature while preparing the sauce. Remove the sauce from heat before it starts boiling.
Step 6. Fit sponge cake into crust basket. Pour the sauce over the tart up to the brim. Set aside for 10 minutes. Place whole pecans in concentric circles on the top. Pour the sauce over again so that all the pecans are coated. Bake the tart at 160°C for 30 minutes.
Step 7. Brush the baked tart with hot neutral glaze. In case the neutral glaze is thick, add up to 10% of water. Serve slightly warm.
• This tart can also be prepared with any sponge cake you like – chocolate or any other.
• You can freeze baked, but not nappagecoated tart. Preheat tart in oven at 160°C for about 3 minutes before serving.
This pecan tart makes for a wonderfully indulgent dessert that's perfect for sharing with friends and family. It's a classic recipe that's sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. If you enjoyed this pecan tart, indulge in the recipes found in the bestseelr cookbook "The Art of Elegant Baking" by Tetyana Verbytska, which is filled with even more mouthwatering dessert ideas that are sure to become new favorites.
