Lemon Honey Pecan Tart Recipe

Due to popular demand (my sister requested it) here is the recipe. You'll notice that in my picture you can see the pecans on the top of the tart under the powdered sugar. You, too, can have this effect, if you are talking on the phone while baking and forget to put the pecans in the tart when the recipe says, and only remember them when the tart is about halfway done baking. Then you just pour the pecans on the filling and try to press them into the half-cooked filling. Whichever way you chose, this is delicious!

This recipe is from Bon Appetit Magazine March 1991. I had one of the few subscriptions to Bon Appetit at my college, I'm sure. Even fewer of us had it in high school, and I was probably their only subscriber that was in junior high when my Dad started ordering it for me. Anyway, go preheat your oven!

Oh, side note: this was originally Lemon, Honey Wand Walnut Tart, but Sweetheart is allergic to walnuts so I use pecans. Either work.

Lemon, Honey and Pecan/Walnut Tart Crust

1 stick butter, room temperature (Hey! It's just like Pioneer Woman Cooks!)

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cloves (The recipe says 1/8, but more is better!)

1 1/3 cups flour

Filling

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup honey (Carey--You can try the Agave Nectar! I haven't, but you are welcome to it.)

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 eggs

1 1/2 Tbl grated lemon peel

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp (or more) ground cloves

pinch of salt

1 cup chopped walnuts/pecans

powdered sugar

strawberries

For Crust:

Mix the first 6 ingredients with an electric mixer until well blended. Add flour and mix just until combined. Gather dough into ball; flatten to disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Let dough soften slightly before continuing.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom. (NOTE: a springform/cheesecake pan should work, a pie pan might work.) Roll dough out between sheets of waxed paper. Remove top sheet of paper. Transfer dough to prepared pan discarding the second sheet of paper. Trim and finish the edges. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Line dough with foil. (Recipe says to fill with dried beans or pie weights, but I never have.) Bake 15 minutes. Remove beans and foil and continue baking until crust is golden brown, about 15 more minutes. (Can be prepared a day ahead. Let stand at room temperature. The recipe says to let the shell cool completely before the next step, but I don't know why, so I don't bother.)

For Filling:

Preheat oven, if needed, to 350 degrees. Mix first 8 ingredients in bowl until smooth. Spread nuts in crust. Gently pour lemon mixture over. Bake until filling is just set in center, about 35 minutes.

Cool tart on rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Arrange strawberry halves with points to the center, around outer edges of the tart and serve. (I skipped the strawberries this time, but they are wonderful on it.)

Enjoy!