Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts are mini (4") decadent desserts, drizzled with homemade caramel topping (2-3 servings per tart). SO GOOD!
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or butter 4" tart pans (with removeable rims) on bottom and sides.
Make Crust: Place flour, sugar, and COLD chunks of butter in a small mixing bowl. Rub together with your fingers (or use pastry blender) until mixture becomes coarse crumbs Add/stir in a teaspoon of water. Work dough into a ball, squeezing dough to hold it together. Divide dough into two equal parts; place in pans. Firmly press dough to form bottom crust, letting dough extend up about 1" around sides of pan. Bake crust at 350°F. for about 20 minutes, until it becomes golden brown. Crust should be firm to the touch when pressed lightly. Remove from oven; transfer pans to a wire rack. Let cool 2 minutes before filling.
While crusts bake, make the filling. Place egg, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, pecans and chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Stir to fully combine. Pour filling onto warm crust, dividing evenly between pans. Put tarts back into oven. Bake for 30 minutes. When done, surface will be golden brown and when pan is lightly shaken, the filling will be set. Transfer pans to wire rack; let cool AT LEAST half an hour (or more) before removing pan rims to serve.
While tarts cool, make caramel sauce. Place butter and sugar in a 1½ quart saucepan. Cook on HIGH heat, stirring often until sugar melts and turns amber in color. This takes about 2-3 minutes; keep a close watch so sugar doesn't burn. When sugar turns amber colored, remove pan from heat. Stir in whipping cream; stir until sauce becomes smooth. **When you add whipping cream it will "sputter" a bit (that's normal).
To serve, drizzle caramel on top of tarts (or slices), allowing it to run down the sides. Dollop with whipped cream, and add a fresh sprig of mint for color! Serve, and enjoy!
NOTE: Don't have 4" tart pans? This recipe can also be made using one 6" wide cake or tart pan (with removable rim). General directions and bake time are the same, and will yield one tart that you can be sliced into 6 small portions.
Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tarts https://www.thegratefulgirlcooks.com/chocolate-caramel-pecan-tarts/