Recipe: Maple pecan tart with crème fraîche

1½ hours, plus cooling, chilling and freezing times. Serves 8 to 12

CRÈME FRAÎCHE CRUST

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (5 ounces) flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into cubes and frozen

1/3 cup crème fraîche

1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar and salt together to combine. Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until the butter is reduced to pea-sized balls. Add the crème fraîche and pulse until mixed and the dough begins to form clumps.

2. Remove the dough and form into a coarse ball, then flatten to form a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

3. Roll the dough larger than the diameter of the 10-inch tart pan, approximately 12 inches in diameter. Chill the rolled dough for 30 minutes, then carefully fit it into the pan, trimming and saving any leftover dough. Freeze the dough until ready to bake, at least 1 hour.

4. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the inside of the tart shell with foil and beans or pie weights. Blind-bake the frozen shell until set and golden on the sides, 20 to 25 minutes; the dough will shrink a bit on the sides. Remove the weights and foil and continue to bake until the crust is fully set and a deep golden brown, an additional 10 to 20 minutes.

5. Cool on a rack, then chill the shell until ready to complete the tart (chill up to one day before baking).

FILLING

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)

6 tablespoons crème fraîche

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped lightly toasted pecans

Prepared frozen tart shell

Whipped crème fraîche (½ cup each heavy cream and crème fraîche beaten with 1½ tablespoons sugar to soft peaks)

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk the vanilla and rum into the crème fraîche.

2. In a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, maple syrup, brown sugar and salt over low heat. Cook, continuously whisking, until the butter is completely melted and the mixture comes together. Increase the heat to high and continue to cook until the mixture is frothy and bubbly. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.

3. Remove from heat and slowly and carefully add the crème fraîche mixture, whisking until smooth. Continue whisking, adding the yolks, one at a time. Stir in the pecans.

4. Fill the cold tart shell with the filling just to below the top of the crust; you may have a little filling leftover. Bake until the top has developed a crust and the filling looks set, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and gently tap on the counter to release any air bubbles. Place on a rack to cool completely. Serve the cooled tart with whipped crème fraîche.

EACH OF 12 SERVINGS

Calories 473

Protein 4 grams

Carbohydrates 33 grams

Fiber 2 grams

Fat 37 grams

Saturated fat 2 grams

Cholesterol 128 mg

Sugar 22 grams

Sodium 165 mg

NOTE: Adapted from Genevieve Gergis of Bestia.