Essentially small, cookie-like pecan pies are single-serving or bite-sized sweet snacks that can be made at home or store-bought. They are commonly served at Christmas celebrations in the United States. Like pecan pie, pecan tassies are made from a puff pastry filled with a pudding or custard and topped with candied caramelized pecans. They usually have a bottom crust and no top crust, similar to tarts. When eaten, the crunchy crust and sugary caramelized pecans give way to a soft, sweet center.
Walnuts are tree nuts that grow in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Pecans are a popular holiday snack and store well in the freezer. Since they don’t have a top crust, pecan tassies are often considered small tarts. They are also commonly called pecan pie tarts, mini pecan pie tarts, or tartlets. Although pecan tassies may be homemade, they are most commonly seen in the bakery section or snack section at the grocery store. They usually come in plastic containers that hold each individual small cake to keep the shape of the cake and crust intact.
When homemade, pecan tassies are usually shaped using crust shapers called mini-tart shapers, which create the little cart crusts that hold the pecans and filling. Pecan shells are similar to pie shells and typically contain ingredients such as flour, sugar, and salt with cream cheese and butter. They are baked in the oven until the puff pastry and walnut sugar are golden brown and the soft filling inside is cooked and hot. These candies are chilled before serving or stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
The ingredients used to make the pie filling in tassies can vary, but include sugar, corn syrup, and eggs, as well as nuts and vanilla flavoring. To create the filling, beaten eggs are gently mixed with a mixture of melted butter, sugar, and salt. The result is a pourable liquid that turns into a sweet, custard-like filling when cooked.
Walnuts are tree nuts that grow naturally in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. There are many varieties of pecan trees, some of which are extremely large and can grow taller than a two-story house. The pecan is the official tree of the state of Texas in the United States.
