Maple Bourbon Pecan Tart

Steps

1. 1

   Make Crust Dough

   • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, and salt until combined.
   • Add the cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or your cold fingertips to work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible, about 2–3 minutes of work.
   • In a small cup, beat the ice water with the egg yolk, then drizzle this mixture over the flour and stir gently with a fork just until the dough comes together—stop as soon as you see no dry flour; do not overwork it.
   • Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

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   Ready when: Dough is shaggy and just coming together; when wrapped, it holds as a cohesive disk without dry bits

   Tip: Use ice water and keep the butter cold—warm butter makes a dense, greasy crust. Work quickly with cold hands to avoid warming the mixture.

2. 2

   Line Tart PanOven 350°F / 175°C

   • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
   • Remove dough from refrigerator.
   • If it's very firm, let it sit at room temperature for 2–3 minutes to soften slightly.
   • On a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of parchment paper, roll or press the dough into a 12-inch (30 cm) round, about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
   • Transfer the dough to a 10-inch (25 cm) fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing it gently and evenly into the bottom and up the sides.
   • Trim excess dough even with the rim using a knife.
   • Using a fork, lightly prick the bottom of the crust all over to prevent puffing.
   • Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

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   Ready when: Dough is fitted snugly in the pan with no gaps or cracks; dough is cold to the touch

   Tip: If the dough tears, patch it with a small piece of dough from the trimmings and press gently. Pricking the bottom prevents a puffy, dome-shaped crust.

3. 3

   Heat Maple Bourbon Mixture

   • In a medium saucepan, combine the maple syrup, bourbon, butter, and brown sugar.
   • Place over medium heat and stir occasionally until the butter is fully melted and the sugar dissolves, about 3–4 minutes.
   • The mixture should be warm but not boiling—look for a few gentle bubbles at the edges.
   • Do not allow it to boil hard, as this can caramelize the sugars too much.
   • Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes; the mixture should still be warm but no longer hot to the touch.

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   Ready when: Butter is melted and sugar is completely dissolved; mixture shows small bubbles at the edges

   Tip: Don't let the maple mixture boil hard—this can create a grainy texture from over-caramelized sugar. Gentle heat and cooling prevents this.

4. 4

   Add Eggs to Filling

   • In a small bowl, beat the room-temperature eggs with the vanilla extract for about 1 minute until well combined and slightly pale.
   • Slowly pour the beaten eggs into the warm maple mixture while whisking constantly—this tempering prevents the eggs from scrambling.
   • Whisk vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the filling is smooth, silky, and uniformly colored with no streaks or lumps.
   • Stir in the salt.

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   Ready when: Filling is smooth, glossy, and uniformly colored with no visible egg streaks

   Tip: Pour the eggs in a thin, steady stream while whisking the maple mixture constantly—adding eggs too quickly risks scrambling them in the warm filling.

5. 5

   Assemble with Pecans

   • Remove the chilled tart crust from the refrigerator.
   • Spread the pecan halves evenly over the bottom of the crust in a single layer.
   • Slowly pour the maple filling mixture over the pecans, filling to about ½ inch (1.25 cm) below the rim of the pan.
   • Pour slowly to avoid splashing and to keep pecans evenly distributed.
   • If you have extra filling, you may not need to use all of it—stop when the tart is filled to the proper level.

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   Ready when: Pecans are distributed evenly and submerged in filling; liquid reaches near the top of the crust

   Tip: Pour the filling slowly and from a low height to minimize splashing and keep pecans from floating to the surface.

6. 6

   Bake the TartOven 350°F / 175°C

   • Carefully place the tart in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven on the center rack.
   • Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the filling is golden brown at the edges and set on the outer inch of the surface.
   • The center should still jiggle very slightly—about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in the middle—when the pan is gently shaken; this indicates it will be creamy when cooled.
   • The crust should be golden brown all over.
   • If the crust edges brown too quickly, tent the top loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes of baking.

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   Ready when: Filling is golden brown and set at the edges with a slight jiggle in the very center (about 1 inch); crust is deep golden

   Tip: A slight jiggle in the center now means the filling will be perfectly silky and creamy when cooled—overbaking results in a rubbery texture.

7. 7

   Cool and Serve

   • Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes on a wire rack.
   • The filling will continue to set and firm up.
   • If using a tart pan with a removable bottom, gently push up on the bottom to release the fluted ring and let the tart finish cooling on the rack.
   • The tart can be served slightly warm (for a soft, custard-like filling), at room temperature (for a fully set but still creamy texture), or chilled.
   • When ready to slice, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts for clean, neat slices.

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   Ready when: Tart is warm or at room temperature and holds its shape when a knife passes through it

   Tip: The tart slices most cleanly and beautifully when fully cooled to room temperature, though it tastes incredible served warm with a soft, custardy center.