Instagram pie design sensation Helen Nugent sees inspiration everywhere, including in 1970s rattan furniture. This chocolate pecan tart, from Nugent’s new cookbook, “Pie Style: Stunning Designs and Flavorful Fillings You Can Make at Home” (Page Street; $23), comes together quickly, and arranging those pecans in a rattan-ish design can be as meditative as it is beautiful.
Nugent makes the tart in a 9- by 9-inch pan but says it can also be made in a 9-inch round pie dish. Just use a paring knife to cut the pecans on an angle so they fit against the edge of the pan.
Rattan Chocolate Pecan Tart
Makes one single-crust, 9-inch square tart
Single-Crust Pie Dough
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup unsalted butter, chilled
3 tablespoon ice water
Directions
Fill a small bowl with cold water and ice cubes and set aside to use as ice water.
Place the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Pulse two to three times in a food processor or mix on low speed (speed 2) in a stand mixer to combine and distribute the ingredients.
Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces. Add these to the bowl. Pulse four to six times in the food processor or mix on low speed in the stand mixer to coat the butter with flour and to cut it into the dry ingredients.
Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing two times or mixing on low speed for 15 seconds between each addition. After all 3 tablespoons have been added, continue to pulse or mix at low speed until the dough just begins to clump together (an additional 15 to 20 pulses in a food processor or 3 to 4 minutes in a stand mixer).
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cup your hands around the dough and gently bring it together into a ball. Press gently with the heel of your hand to flatten the piece into a
disc that is 1 inch thick. Wrap disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
To make this a chocolate dough, reduce the amount of flour to 1 cup and add 2 tablespoons
unsweetened cocoa powder. Increase the granulated sugar to 2 tablespoons and omit the salt.
Rattan Chocolate Pecan Tart:
1 disc Everyday All-Butter Pie Dough, chilled
1½ cups pecan halves, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup dark corn syrup
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons bourbon, optional
¾ cup good-quality semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
Directions
To make the shell, remove the disc of Everyday All-Butter Pie Dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the disc to an 11-inch square, about 1⁄8 inch (3 mm) thick. Line a 9-inch square tart tin with removable bottom, about 1 inch deep, with the dough. Trim the edge of the dough back to the edge of the tart tin. Return the shell to the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and place a baking sheet on it. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Measure out 1 cup of pecans and set aside. In a medium skillet, toast the remaining ½ cup pecans over medium heat, watching carefully to ensure they do not burn. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, add the melted butter and brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Add the flour, vanilla extract, corn syrup, eggs and bourbon (if using). Whisk to combine the ingredients. Coarsely chop the ½ cup of the cooled toasted pecans and add them to the mixture. Stir in the chocolate pieces. Remove the tart shell from the refrigerator and pour the mixture into it.
To create the rattan design, start by placing one pecan vertically on top of the filling in the top left-hand corner of the tart. Place two more pecans horizontally next to the vertical pecans. Continue this pattern, left to right, from top to bottom to create a rattan (or weave) design.
To bake the tart, transfer tart to the preheated sheet in the oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the filling has puffed and the center is set. Let the tart cool for at least 1 hour before serving.
Note: The tart can be baked 1 day ahead and stored at room temperature, loosely covered. Rewarm it in a 325 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Leftover tart can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This tart may also be frozen, double wrapped, for up to 3 months. Allow it to defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then rewarm in the oven as directed.
— From “Pie Style” (Page Street; $23) by Helen Nugent
