Here’s one of our favorite ways to use up the odd bits of nuts left over from all our holiday baking: Caramel Nut Tart, aka Leftover Nut Tart. This tart is sturdy enough to slice and eat by hand – but warm, with a scoop of cinnamon or vanilla ice cream … oh my! This year’s assortment included brazil nuts from our brazil nut shortbread, pistachios from biscotti and some lovely hazelnuts from Oregon, sent by good friend Wendy M.
What to do with the leftover nuts from holiday baking?
We used a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, but a pie tin would likely work:
For the filling, bring the caramel to a boil:
Add the nuts to the cooked caramel:
And bake until bubbly:
Hot, out of the oven
- Crust
- 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter (3½ ounces)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (1½ ounces)
- 1 egg yolk
- pinch salt
- 1½ cups all purpose flour (6½ ounces)
- Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter (4 ounces)
- ¼ cup light corn syrup (2 ounces)
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar (5 ounces)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup heavy cream (2 ounces)
- 14 ounces mixed nuts (approximately 3 cups)
- For the crust:
- In mixer, with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar then add egg until well mixed.
- Mix in flour and salt until well incorporated.
- Gather up dough and press into a tart pan. We use a 9-inch pan with a removable bottom.
- Put in freezer for 1 hour.
- Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
- For the filling:
- On medium heat, melt butter in saucepan.
- Add sugar, salt and corn syrup and bring to gentle boil.
- Let boil (gently, on low) for 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream.
- Let sit for five minutes and add nuts.
- Spread evenly into cooled crust. Bake at 325 degrees until starts to bubble, about 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool until just warm, before cutting.
