Candied Pecan Cheesecake Tart

A creamy alternative to pecan pie!  We usually don't have pecan pie for thanksgiving, but I really enjoy it when we do. So rich and nutty and sweet. My Mimi is here for Rebekah and in honor of Mimi's birthday, I took one of her favorites, candied pecans, and incorporated it into a creamy cheesecake tart. There is an extra step of making candied pecans and you can skip that by buying candied pecans, but homemade is extra yummy. The filling is very simple and no bake, always a plus, and the crust is nutty and crunchy. 

I do enjoy having grandparents stay with us.  Any news is exciting, they love playing with the little kids, and they always volunteer to do our chores:)  It's so special to have grandparents who want to be involved and genuinely love us. 

I will always prefer to be the host given the option. It's kind of a first child, control  thing, I think.  For many years, my room became the guest room (because it had the biggest bed) and I always struggled with not having my own space during guests.  There is something about going into your room when you have company and being able to shut that door, knowing no one can follow you. It's like your castle, yes?  You'd think I'd get used to not having any of my own space with nine other people or not mind since I'm extroverted, but we all need some "me time."  Why I always tend to need it more when we have certain company, I have no idea, but I do. It's not that I didn't like the people, I think it was the comfort of routine and knowing where everything was and having access to all my stuff.  When that was taken away, then life suddenly got emotional.  Ah, but that was several years ago. Its interesting how important that has always been. Something I'm not very good at is choosing to be gracious and choosing to be flexible. Both of those things are imprtant when you live with people ... in general. But I've gotten better!  This weekend has been great, other than having a fever and cold ... fevers always leave me flat.  

But!  Candied pecans are great pick me ups!  I have several candied nut recipes Iove and to be honest, I had to stop making them because I would eat myself sick on them. These, since they're part of a dessert, are a different story. Grandmothers always love what you make them, but my dad (who came home after dinner) after eating his piece, came downstairs, found me, and held up his hand for a high five, saying, "man, that is the best dessert you've made Mary Frances!"

What more do you need? :)

It's more nutty than it is sweet, so if your a sugar person, feel free to add more to the filling. I really liked it, despite having a pretty major sweet tooth. The creamy filling is just sweet enough and contrasts the nutty crust and candied pecans.  The filling stays firm (ie; doesn't serve like pudding) and the crust slices nicely and doesn't fall apart like some tarts. It's short on ingredients and long on stunning!  

Candied Pecan Cheesecake Tart

Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life 

Yield: 8 servings 

Crust: 

1/2 cup pecans 

3/4 cup flour 

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup cold butter, cubed 

For filling: 

1 (8 oz) package low fat cream cheese 

1/3 cup sugar 

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 

1 batch candied pecans (recipe below) 

For crust: 

Preheat ice to 350. 

In a food processor, pulse nuts until chopped. Add flour, cinnamon, and sugar and chip until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly and pulls into a ball. Press into a 9 or 10 inch tart pan.  Freeze for 10 minutes. Then, bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely. 

For filling:

Beat cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Set aside. Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form, about three minutes. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Spread into cooled crust. 

Arrange candied pecans over filling as desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

For candied pecans: 

1 cup pecans, whole 

3 tablespoons sugar 

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/8 teaspoon each, cloves, allspice, and salt

1 egg white (you won't use all of it) 

1-1/2 teaspoons water 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla 

For candied pecans: 

Preheat oven to 250. 

Combine cinnamon, sugar, spices, and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk egg white, water, and vanilla until frothy. Toss pecans in egg white mixture (you won't use all the egg white; you'll have to drain some off the pecans)  Then, toss the pecans in the cinnamon mixture. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15.  Let cool.