Mini Pecan Tartlets

Dessert

Rich and nutty, like your eccentric uncle. Must be held and served at room temperature.

Ingredients

Sweet Tart Dough

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 /2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

Filling

1 cup unsalted butter

1 1 /2 cups brown sugar

1 /4 cup sugar

1 /2 cup honey

1 /4 teaspoon fine salt

1 /3 cup heavy cream

4 1 /2 cups pecan pieces

Instructions

Sweet Tart Dough

Preheat oven to 325

To make the sweet dough: Place the sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer. With the paddle attachment, beat ingredients until creamy. Add flour and salt and mix until just combined. Add egg and mix until just combined (this can also be done in a food processor). Form a disk out of the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1/2 hour.

When dough is slightly chilled, place on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough out in a rectangular shape, approximately 11×15-inches in size. Transfer dough to a 9×13 baking sheet, and gently press dough into bottom and sides of the pan (dough should come up the sides of the pan about one inch).

Refrigerate dough 30 minutes, and bake for 10 minutes. While crust is cooling, prepare the filling.

Filling

While the pastry is cooling, combine butter, brown sugar, white sugar, honey, and salt in a large pot over high heat. Boil six minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the cream (Mixture will boil up while adding the cream, so be very careful during this step not to burn yourself).

Add pecans and mix thoroughly. Pour the filling evenly over the baked pastry. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Recent Recipes

Harrison’s Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Having a son who’s following in your footsteps is one thing. Watching him take what you’ve taught him and elevate it to something even better—that’s special. During his Christmas break from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, a few years ago, he nudged me out of the way and made these mashed potatoes. I was skeptical, of course as I’ve been making mashed potatoes for decades. But there was no question his version was better. There’s a lot of pride in seeing him excel in the kitchen, making something as simple as mashed potatoes taste extraordinary. This recipe has become a new tradition in our family. Watching him cook now, with all that skill and precision, is a proud moment for me every time. This is his recipe, and I’ve adopted it as my own.

Macaroni and Cheese

Growing up, elaborate mac & cheese wasn’t something that made its way to our dinner table. That’s not some sort of elitist statement. We grew up in a very modest way. It’s just that macaroni and cheese was something my mom never purchased at the store and therefore never served. This recipe is rich and indulgent with a blend of cheeses that create a creamy, savory masterpiece. Adding crispy fried shallots or crumbled bacon to the breadcrumb topping gives it a savory, satisfying crunch. The blend of cheeses—Velveeta for creaminess, Gruyere for nuttiness, Cheddar for sharpness, and Colby Jack for that buttery melt—makes all the difference.

Robert’s Christmas Turkey 2025

There's nothing like a well-roasted turkey to anchor a holiday table, and no one made it quite like my grandmother. She didn't wait until Thanksgiving to serve it. She'd roast a turkey once a month throughout the year, never mind the occasion. It was a staple at her table. My mother, on the other hand, always made a formal Christmas Eve dinner, complete with turkey, dressing, and gravy. As kids, the excitement of Christmas Eve was almost too much to bear. Those big dinners felt like the beginning of Christmas itself. It’s a memory that comes to mind every time I cook a turkey or make gravy. And a good gravy can make or break the meal. Making sure the roux browns just right and finishing the gravy with a touch of lemon juice or fresh herbs are tricks worth remembering. A little extra attention to the gravy goes a long way.

RobertStJohn.com