Chocolate Pecan Tassies

The cookie machine was running full-speed yesterday! Not only did I made my family's all-time favorite Candy Cane Cookies but I also made another cookie that has been around for years - Pecan Tassies.

Having recently seen David Lebovitz' post on Chocolate Pecan Pie, I decided to add some chopped dark chocolate to the bottom of my tassie cups! It was a great idea (giving self pat on back) and they taste wonderful!

I broke out the imported Danish butter than I had been saving for my holiday baking.

Packed in Denmark at the Dairy :) Loved that!

While I was baking, I watched my most favorite version of Dickens' Christmas Carol, Scrooge with Albert Finney. I love the story and the music.

 
Thank You Very Much! The song was nominated for an Academy Award that year for Best Original Song.  If you've never seen it - I highly recommend it to you!

This my favorite Tiny Tim of them all. I cry every time I watch the ending of this movie.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, My Dears :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chocolate Pecan Tassies
Printable Recipe

Makes 2 dozen (You will want to double this recipe - believe me!)

3 oz cream cheese (I use the lower-fat Neufchatel cheese), softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1-1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate

In a stand mixer, blend softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in flour until blended. Remove dough and cover with plastic wrap and chill for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325F.

Shape dough into 2 dozen, 1-inch balls. Place in un-greased mini-muffin tins and press evenly against bottom and sides of pan. If you have a handy, dandy, tamper tool, it will simplify that task!

Filling:

Beat together eggs, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of softened butter, vanilla and salt just until smooth. Place a small amount of chopped, dark chocolate on the bottom of each dough cup. Add half of pecans over the chocolate and add egg mixture to the top. Sprinkle with remaining pecans.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool before removing from pans.