November 12, 2013

Candied Pecan Cheesecake Tart

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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. 


26 comments:

  1. Dear Mary Frances, I always loved when my grandparents came over. I gave up my room too when they visited.
    Grandparents do make everything a bit more special. Though, I understand the high-five from your dad was the affirmation that this pecan pie was a "hit". Grandparents seem to love all that you do, and that is wonderful, but your dad confirmed the results.
    The pie does look like a wonderful addition to the Thanksgiving table.

    I hope that you are feeling better.

    Blessings dear, Catherine xo

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    1. I am feeling better, thank you Catherine! Thank you for your sweet comment; I love hearing other people's stories! Have a great day!

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  2. This tart looks utterly scrumptious! No wonder why your dad loved it so much ;) And Happy Birthday to your Mimi. I'm sure she loved the tart as well :D

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    1. You are so sweet to wish her well:) Thanks Consuelo!

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  3. I love that you added candied pecans to a cheescake- sounds amazing! And sounds like it is an exciting time at your house right now- enjoy it!

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    1. Thank you Meghan, it is a fun time! When candied pecans are in a dessert, it means I can't eat them by the handful! :)

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  4. You won me a more nutty than it is sweet! I love pecans. Have you ever had pecan butter? It is amazing!

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    1. Oh good, I'm glad:)
      What?! Pecan butter?! I must find this! Thanks Davida!

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  5. I have to agree with your dad... though I haven't tasted it, this LOOKS scrumptious. I think it was a great idea to combine two favorites ( cheesecake and pie!) into one masterpiece. Do you do deliveries? :) I haven't had time to bake, so even though we had company I didn't bake a SINGLE dessert. Notta one. I'm amazed at how you juggle so much and do everything WELL! All that to say, fantastic post!

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    1. Oh no, no baking? Well, we'll remedy that tomorrow:) Thank you so much Hannah! (sometimes I feel like everything is sub par, so I'm glad this post looked 'fantastic':)

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  6. Grandparents are the best! Enjoy them. This tart looks so fantastic I can't wait to try it and I love that you make your own candied pecans. I must make an extra batch of those

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    1. Candied pecans are great to have on hand for parties or just snacking (I know from experience:) Thanks!

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  7. Hi Mary Frances! I must agree...I'm all about being the host! Thank you for sharing your words, thoughts, and this delicious pie! Love the twist on the classic pecan. Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe. I hope you have a wonderful week!

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    1. Thank you, Monet! I hope you have a wonderful week as well!

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  8. I'll take one big slice of this high-five approved pie! Also, mad props for making your own pecans.

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  9. What a creative twist on pecan pie! I've always found the original to be too cloyingly sweet and I bet the creaminess is an excellent way to counter that. I hope you're feeling better, and you're quite blessed to have such a close relationship with your grandparents. I wish I could spend more time with mine.

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    1. Agreed; plus I love the creaminess of whipped cream in so many things. It is a blessing I often take for granted. Thank you Irina!

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  10. I LOVE this! I hate the gooey corn syrupy filling in some (most) pecan pies and this is such a fabulous, gorgeous way to still get those delicious pecans and pie crust without that syrupiness! Brilliant!

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    1. I agree, corn syrup can become too much really fast. Thanks Erika!

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  11. Being the host - a control first child thing - YES! For me, only child, but same thing. :) LOVE this tart!

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  12. This looks amazing, girl!! I'm very into pecans lately! :)

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  13. Wow!!!!!!!!!!! I can imagine what this is gonna taste like .....YUM!!!! I love love love candied nuts and to use them in cheesecake is just brilliant!

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    1. Aren't candied nuts the best?! They are so addictive. Thank you for commenting!

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