Pecan and Caramel Tassies

These delicious bite-size tarts are bursting with nuts and flavour – just what you need for pudding in the winter evenings. Serve warm with a generous curl of vanilla ice cream for showstopping results every time. Don't forget, you can get more winter baking inspiration in the winter issue of Cupcake Heaven and Cake Decoration Heaven. Our next issue of Baking Heaven goes on sale 4th December.     FOR THE PASTRY 125g butter, softened 85g icing sugar, sifted 1 egg 275g plain flour, sifted FOR THE FILLING 60g butter, melted 325g light muscovado sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 225g pecans, finely chopped FOR THE TOPPING 200g Carnation caramel 1 For the pastry, grease 36 holes in two mini muffin tins. Cream the butter and icing sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and mix until fully incorporated. Add the flour and bring the mixture together until evenly combined. 2 Lightly knead the mixture until smooth then divide into 36 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball then place a ball in each of the greased holes in the prepared tins. Use your fingers or a pastry tool to press the pastry evenly around the bottom and sides of the holes to create pastry cases. Alternatively roll the pastry out on a floured surface and cut out circles using a pastry cutter then ease into the holes. 3 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/Gas Mark 6. For the filling, place the melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and chopped pecans in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add a little of the mixture to each pastry case ensuring you do not overfill them – the mixture should sit just below the top edge of the pastry. 4 Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to cool in the tin for 3 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 5 For the topping, gently warm the caramel in a pan, then whisk until smooth and even. Use a spoon to drizzle the caramel over the top of the tassies.