Chess Tarts

Yield: about twenty 2" tarts

Pastry for 2 9" pie shells
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped dates
2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 tblespoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons whipping cream
2 tablespoons brandy

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl place sugar, butter, walnuts, dates, beaten eggs, vanilla, whipping cream and brandy. Mix with a spoon, using a chopping motion on the butter so that little butter flecks remain after it is mixed up. Line the tart pans with pastry, trim off any excess dough and crimp or flute the edges decoratively.  Fill each tart pan two-thirds full. Bake tarts at 425 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

Chess Pie: Pour the prepared chess filling into an unbaked 9" crust and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.