Mini Brown Sugar Pecan Pies

Pecan pie gets updated with a large dose of cute in these individual desserts.  Custard cups are lined with a tender cream cheese crust before being stuffed with a rich caramel-like brown sugar filling generously studded with nuts.  If desired, serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Mini Brown Sugar Pecan Pies Recipe

Mini Brown Sugar Pecan Pies

Crust:   1 2/3 cups flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

¼ tsp. salt

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

5 oz. cream cheese, chilled

Filling:   2 eggs

1 cup packed light brown sugar

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. salt

1 ½ cups coarsely chopped pecans

Whisk flour, sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in small bowl.  Beat ¾ cup butter and cream cheese in large bowl at low speed 1 ½ minutes or until smooth and blended.  Beat in flour mixture just until combined.  Shape into 2 flat rounds; cover and refrigerated 30 minutes or until chilled.  (Dough can be made 1 day ahead).

Heat oven to 350 F.  Butter 6 (6 oz.) ovenproof custard cups; place on baking sheet.  Whisk all filling ingredients except pecans in medium bowl until smooth.  Stir in pecans.

On lightly floured surface, roll 1 dough round to 12-inch round, scant ¼ -inch thickness.  With small plate as guide, cut out 2 (5 inch) rounds; reserve dough scraps.  Press dough rounds into custards cups (dough rounds into custard cups (dough will come to about ¼ inch from top).  Repeat with remaining dough.  Roll dough scraps to cut and fill remaining 2 cups.

Spoon about 1/3 cup filling into each cup (filling will come to about ¼ inch from top of crust).

Bake 45 minutes or until crust is light golden brown and filling is puffed and set.  Cool on baking sheets on wire rack 20 minutes or until firm.  Run small knife around edges to loosen crust; remove from cups.  Cool completely on rack.  (Pies can be made 1 day ahead.  Cover and store at room temperature.)

 

(Recipe for Mini Brown Sugar Pecan Pies was in Cooking Club Magazine, Fall 2012)