Spirited Orange-Pecan Frangipane Tart

Frangipane is usually a sweet paste made form ground almonds. Here pecans are being used. To avoid bubbles from forming which can cause tears or holes in the dough, line the pie crust with parchment paper and top with cereamic pie weights. These weights keep the crust from bubbling while baking in the oven.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• FOR CRUST

• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 confectioners' sugar (packed)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 6  tablespoons  chilled unsalted butter, diced
• 1  tablespoon  frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

• FOR FRANGIPANE

• 1  cup pecans, toasted lightly, cooled
• 1⁄4 cup  wholed  almonds, toasted lightly, cooled
• 1⁄2 cup golden brown sugar, packed
• 1  teaspoon  grated  orange peel
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 large  egg white (about 1 Tbsp.)

• FOR FILLING

• 3  large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup light corn syrup
• 1⁄4 cup  frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1⁄4 brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon Bourbon
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups pecan halves

Directions

1. FOR CRUST: Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and blend until coarse meal forms. Add orange concentrate and blend untl moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
3. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 11-inch round. Transfer to 9 1/2 -inch round tart pan with removable bottom. Pierce all over with fork; chill 10 minutes. Bake 3 minutes; press up sides of crust with back of fork if slipping. Bake until crust is pale golden, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles. about 12 minutes longer.
4. FRANGIPANE: Blend toasted pecans, almonds, 1/2 cup brown sugar, orange peel and cinnamon in processor until moist paste forms; mix in egg white. Crumble frangipane over bottom of crust.
5. FOR FILLING: Combine eggs, 1/2 cup corn syrup, orange juice concentrate, bourbon, vanilla, salt and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar in processor bowl. Pulse 2 times just to blend. Pour egg mixture evenly over franigpane. Starting at edge and pointing nuts toward center of tart, arrange pecan halves in concentric circles atop filling.
6. Bake tart until filling is firm to touch in center, about 30 minutes. Transfer tart to rack. Brush pecan halves lightly with additonal corn syrup to glaze. Cool tart completely.