The Sweetest Pecan and Honey Tart around

I have been gone for a while, but do not think I have forsaken you! I merely had to present my Master's seminar. My heart threatened to explode under the weighing pressure, but I prevailed and now have one less thing to do before I finish this degree. Yay!
Also, there is that other thing which made me quite sad. That messy situation involving those unhappy folks in the Middle East who think the solution to their problems must lie in the transportation of numerous flying metal tubes, which is weird because, after all, it is not the metal tubes that are unhappy. Here is a suggestion for a better solution.

But let's talk about good things. Exciting things! This is meant to be a happy food blog, PEOPLE!

So, about a year ago I had the uttermost honer to be asked by two wonderful and oh-so-unbelievably-talented food bloggers to help with a behind-the-scenes video for their up coming book.

"The Sweet Book"

I was so excited when Efrat and Natalie asked my help, I jumped up and down for several moments and then went back to check my email again to see I wasn't imagining things!!!
I am so happy for them! I've seen them work on it for so long and now this baby is only a few weeks away from mounting the shelves of book stores, nationwide.
If you're really impatient though and want to buy it right now, you can do it through the publisher's site, here (The book is currently available only in Hebrew).

Filming the video was so much fun, I love these two for sharing this experience with me!! Thank you girls!! Especially for all those beet cupcakes, YUM!
Check out the video (preferably in HD):

In celebration of the book, I chose to bring you one of their lovely recipes - pecan and honey tart which, aside for the wonderful taste, is just so darn pretty.
Top with a scoop of ice cream and you're golden.

Pecan and Honey Tart

makes one 24cm diameter tart

Ingredients for the crust:
180g flour
120g cold butter, cut into small cubes
40g granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
1-2 tbsp milk

Ingredients for the filling:
2 eggs
80g corn sirup
80g muscovado sugar (moist brown sugar)
4 tbsp honey
a pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
25g melted butter
100g natural pecans, roughly chopped
100g whole pecans for decoration

Method:
Prepare the crust: In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, blitz together the flour, cold butter cubes, sugar, vanilla and salt into a crumb-like mix. Add the egg yolk and a tbsp of milk and keep processing only until masses of dough start to form. If it is not coming together, add another tbsp of milk. Press the dough into a flat disk, wrap with a clear plastic sheet and refrigerate for an hour. Spread the dough to a thickness of about 3mm on a well floured surface. Transfer to the tart pan, pierce the bottom of the tart with a fork and refrigerate for another half hour.

Bake the crust: Heat the oven to 175 degree Celsius. Cover the crust with baking parchment and place pie-weights (or just simple dried beans) on it. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove the pie-weights and parchment and continue baking for 10-12 more minutes until the dough starts to golden yet is still quite pale. Let it cool to room temperature.

The filling: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, corn sirup, muscovado sugar, honey, salt and vanilla into a uniform mixture. Stir in the melted butter. Mix in the chopped pecans.

Heat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Pour the filling over the half-baked crust and flatten it. Decorate with the additional pecans (see picture). Bake for 13-17 minutes till the filling stabilizes on the sides yet the center is still slightly soft. Cool a bit before serving, preferably with a large scoop of delicious ice cream.

Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Best served at room temperature.

Tip: Instead of turning the oven on twice, leave it on after you blind bake the crust and cool the crust quickly with a simple fan. It shouldn't take longer than 10-15 minutes to reach room temperature.