Caramel Pecan Fudge Tarts

White Flour Crust
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose
flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 6 ounces) cold butter,
4 to 6 tablespoons (2 to 3 ounces) ice water

Filling
1/2 cup (5 1/2 ounces) light corn syrup or brown
sugar corn syrup
3/4 cup (7 1/2 ounces) caramel from a block*
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter
1/2 cup (3 3/4 ounces) brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vinegar (cider or white)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (4 1/2 ounces) chocolate chips
3/4 cup (3 ounces) chopped pecans

*Or unwrap caramel candies, soften in the
microwave, and pack into a measuring cup.

Filling
1/2 cup (5 1/2 ounces) light corn syrup or
brown sugar corn syrup
3/4 cup (7 1/2 ounces) caramel from a block*
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter
1/2 cup (3 3/4 ounces) brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vinegar (cider or white)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (4 1/2 ounces) chocolate chips
3/4 cup (3 ounces) chopped pecans

*Or unwrap caramel candies, soften in the
microwave, and pack into a measuring cup.

To make the crust: Whisk together the dry
ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut the butter
into small cubes, and work it into the dry in-
gredients using your fingers, a pastry blender
or fork, or a mixer until the dough is unevenly
crumbly. If you're making the whole wheat
crust, mix in the orange juice. For either crust,
drizzle in ice water, mixing until the dough is
cohesive. Grab a handful; if it holds together
willingly and doesn't seem at all dry or crumbly,
you've added enough liquid.

Divide the dough in half, and shape each half
into a disk. Roll each on its edge along a floured
work surface, as though the disk were a wheel,
to smooth the edges out. Pat the disks till they're
about 1-inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap, and re-
frigerate for at least 30 minutes, or for up to 2 days.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator; if it's been
refrigerated for longer than an hour, allow it to
warm a bit and become flexible, 15 to 30 minutes.
Divide each piece of dough into six equal pieces;
each will weigh about 1 1/2 ounces, if you have a
scale. Gently round each piece into a disk.

Flour your work surface; a silicone rolling mat
works well here. Roll each disk into a 6-inch circle.
A miniature silicone rolling pin works well here;
that size pin fits this job perfectly. By the way, I'd
also be lost without my rolling mat; the marked
circles make it easy to roll to an exact measurement,
the dough doesn't stick, and cleanup is a breeze.

Press the circles of dough into the wells of a standard
muffin pan, either metal or silicone. The pan doesn't
need to be greased. Crimp the edges of crust that ex-
tend above the wells of the pan. This is kind of fussy
work, but don't stress about it too much; your raggedy
crimping will smooth out a bit in the oven, and anyway,
when you serve the tarts people will be focusing on the
luscious-looking filling, rather than the edge of the
crust. Refrigerate the tart shells, and preheat the oven
to 350°F, while you prepare the filling.

To make the filling: In a small saucepan set over low
heat, or in the microwave, heat together the corn syrup,
caramel, butter, sugar, and salt, stirring till the mixture
is smooth. Don't let it get too hot; just heat until the
caramel and butter melt. Remove from the heat, and
stir in the vanilla and vinegar, then the eggs, beating
until everything is well combined.

To assemble the tarts: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chocolate
chips in the bottom of each tart shell. Add a scant 3
tablespoons (a scant 2 ounces) caramel filling; a muffin
scoop works well here. The filling should come to within
about 3/8-inch of the top of the pastry. Sprinkle 1 table-
spoon chopped pecans atop the filling. Suggestion:
assemble one tart first, so you can see how much filling
to add without it overflowing once you add the pecans.
If you have leftover filling, bake it in a custard cup, if
desired.

Bake the tarts for 45 minutes (in a metal muffin pan),
or 40 minutes (in a silicone muffin pan). The tarts will
puff up and become golden brown and bubbly. Remove
them from the oven (they'll fall down; that's what they're
supposed to do), and serve warm, or at room temperature.
Ice cream or whipped cream is always a plus. Yield: 12 tarts.