Chocolate and Pecan Tarts

This is a small but delicious dessert that works really well with fresh fruit. You can replace the pecans with walnuts if you prefer.

Makes 15 small tarts

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

100g plain flour

55g/2oz butter, cubed

2 tbsp cold water

25g icing sugar

For the filling:

50g butter

50g dark brown sugar

150g pecans, chopped

To decorate:

50g melted chocolate

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Using a tart tin with mini holes (2cm), grease 15 holes (or more if you allow for a few mistakes). To make the pastry, rub together the butter and flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Once it resembles breadcrumbs, add in the sugar and mix thoroughly. Add the water a little bit at a time (don't add it all at once because you might make the dough too wet). Once the dough has come together, separate it into 15 balls and press them into each hole in the tin, using a wooden pastry tool. Set aside.

To make the filling, melt the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Once it has melted, stir in the chopped pecans and cook for a further 2 minutes. Put the filling into each uncooked tart shell (make sure it is even), then cook in a preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the pecan mixture is firm. Leave to cool.

To decorate, melt the chocolate in the microwave (make sure you monitor it) and, using a fork, drizzle it over each tart. Serve with fresh fruit and enjoy!

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