Eva Kolenko
The West is a big producer of nuts, and in 1982, Sunset food writer Linda Lau Anusasananan created a big, shallow tart to show them off. It’s like a Southern pecan pie, grown up. This time we opted for mini versions, good when you have multiple desserts to try. You’ll need nonstick tart pans, like Gobel nonstick 4-in. tartlets.
Preheat oven to 350° with rack on bottom rung. Spread nuts in a shallow pan and bake until lightly toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. If using hazelnuts, rub in a towel to remove loose skins. Let cool.
Meanwhile, on a lightly floured board, roll each pastry disk into a 13-in. round. Cut out 12 circles, each 5 in. wide, re-rolling scraps as needed. Evenly fit each circle into a 4-in. nonstick tart pan. Roll over rims to trim excess dough. Set pans in a rimmed baking sheet.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, honey, orange zest, vanilla, salt, and melted butter until blended. Stir in nuts and spoon evenly into pastry-lined pans.
Bake tarts until deep golden brown all over, 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes. Gently loosen tarts from pans with a small knife if needed. Tip tarts out of pans into hand and set back on rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream if you like.
MAKE AHEAD Up to 1 day, chilled airtight.
12 servings
1
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.