Pecan Tartlettes - lots of work but worth it

For as long as I can remember, Mimi and Pat Mitchell got together to make Christmas cookies. One of the cookies that Mimi will always be associated with in my memory are pecan tartlettes. When I was very young, they were too grown up for me. But now they are one of my favorites too.

Mimi used to complain about how long it took to make a cookie that was eaten so quickly. Still she made pecan tartlettes for many years.

Here is the original recipe. The dough for the crust is delicate. The crust tastes nothing like the pre-baked miniature crust shells sold in grocery stores.

Auntie Pat continues to make wonderful Christmas cookies each year, including pecan tartlettes. For this recipe, she always makes a double batch --  about 3 dozen tartlettes.  

The time consuming part is spreading the dough out in each muffin tin. Pat remembers Mimi getting on the phone, and chatting with her friends while pressing the dough into each little muffin cup. To help spread the dough, try using a wooden spoon or pestle to arrange the crust around the edge of the muffin cup.  

For the crust

Cream together:
  3 oz. cream cheese
  1/2 cup margarine

Add:
  1 cup of flour

Chill (dough) for one hour.

Press 1" ball into 1” x 3/4" deep mini muffin tin. The dough should cover the bottom and the sides of for each tartlette.

For the filling

Beat the following 5 ingredients together:
  1 egg
  dash salt
  1/4 cup light brown sugar
  1 Tablespoon margarine
  1 teaspoon vanilla

Add
  3/4 cup chopped pecans

Put 1 heaping Tablespoon of filling into each little cup (will be about  2/3 full).

Place a pecan half on top of each tartlette.

Bake @ 325^o Farenheit for  25 minutes.

Cool.

Once cool, remove tartlettes from tin.  Makes 2 dozen

If you double the recipe

Crust
 8 oz cream cheese
  2 sticks of margarine
  2 Cups of flour

Filling
 3 eggs
 1 pound brown sugar
 3 Tablespoons margarine
 3 teaspoons vanilla
 2 1/4 cup chopped pecans