- Dough
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- Filling
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- To prepare dough: Mix whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, butter, cream cheese and oil in a large bowl with a wooden spoon just until a coherent dough forms. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to reduce its stickiness.
- Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 350 degrees F.
- Roll the dough (it will be soft) into a 15-inch log. Cut the log in half, then cut each half into quarters, then cut the quarters into thirds to yield 24 equal portions, about 1 tablespoon each. Press each piece of dough into a mini muffin cup, making a well in the center and pressing the dough up the sides of the tin to form a tartlet shell.
- To prepare filling: Combine egg, pecans, brown sugar, butter and vanilla in a large bowl. Divide the filling evenly among the 24 tartlet shells.
- Bake the tartlets for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake until the filling is puffed and the crust is lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes more. Let cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the tartlets out and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.