Pecan Tarts

"I got a Girl scout badge for this recipe way back when," Kim says. "It's based on my grandmother's chess pie."

Yield: 12 tarts

Ingredients

• 2  (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2/3  cup  unsalted butter, softened
• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• Pinch salt
• 1  cup  chopped pecans
• 3  large eggs, beaten
• 1  cup  firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4  cup  light corn syrup
• 2  tablespoons  butter, melted
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt

Preparation

Beat cream cheese and 2/3 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add flour and salt; beat until combined. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into a round disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap in heavy-duty plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.

Shape dough into 2-inch balls. Flatten balls, and place in 3-inch muffin cups, forming each into a shell. (Dough should form a lip above muffin cups.) Sprinkle pecans evenly in pastry cups.

Whisk together eggs and next 5 ingredients until blended. Carefully pour egg mixture evenly over pecans. (Pastries will be full.) Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until set.