- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 dash sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter; chilled and cut into small pieces
- 3 ounces light cream cheese; chill cut in small pieces
- For filling:
- ¾ cups pecan pieces
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ounces semisweet chocolate; chopped
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg white; lightly beaten together
For garnish:
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 2½ teaspoons light brown sugar
- 2½ teaspoons dark rum
- Coat 2 mini muffin tins (1¾ inches in diameter, with 12 molds each) with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- Place flour and salt in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Add butter and cream cheese; process for several seconds, pulsing machine on and off, until mixture resembles rolled oats
- Place mixture on lightly floured work surface; gather together a small amount to form into ball. To ensure even blending of fat and flour, smear ball of dough onto work surface with heel of hand.
- Repeat technique with remaining mixture.
- Gather dough into single mass and flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Divide dough into 24 pieces. Place each piece into muffin mold, pressing dough firmly onto bottom and sides to form tart shells.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix nuts, sugar, chocolate and eggs together.
- Divide mixture among prepared tart shells.
- Bake tarts in a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until crusts are golden.
- Remove from oven. Let cool 5 minutes, then un-mold.
- Tarts can be made 1 day ahead and can be served warm or cool. Keep in airtight container at room temperature.
- When ready to serve, whip cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in brown sugar. Stir in rum. Whip until firm peaks form. Transfer to serving bowl.
- Arrange tarts on serving plate along with bowl of whipped cream.
Yield: 24 tarts.

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