Sweet Butter Tarts Recipes

AWARD-WINNING BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Prepare muffin pans by rolling out pie dough and cutting 4-inch (approx) circles; fit dough circles into muffin cups; set aside in fridge until ready to fill.
• In a small bowl, place raisins and cover with hot tap water; let stand on the counter for 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix together the soft butter, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup; stir well until sugar is dissolved and butter is creamed.
• Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
• Drain raisins.
• Retrieve tart shells and divide raisins equally into all shells; then divide butter mixture into all tarts.
• Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes; filling will be lightly browned but still bubbling.
• Canadians fall into two camps about butter tarts and are quite loyal to their favourite type: runny or firm.
• I like runny-- the type that dribbles when you bite into one; if you like firm, bake them for the full 20 minutes, even adding another minute or two if you wish.
• Let cooked butter tarts cool in pans for 10 minutes after removing from oven; then remove and place on racks until completely cool.

CANADIAN BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Fill a cup with ice and water. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut in the shortening to make pea-size pieces. Add the tablespoons of ice water from the cup until dough holds together. Form the dough into a ball. The dough is now complete. Put it into a plastic bag or wrap it up and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
• Roll the dough between two sheets of waxed paper. Cut the shells using a large glass or your smallest pot. You should have about 12 shells when finished. Put these shells into a greased muffin or tart pan.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
• Put walnuts and coconut on baking pan and roast for 5-10 minutes, until brown. Remove from oven and set temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Fill the bottom of each tart shell with about 10 raisins each.
• Whisk together sugar, egg, butter, vanilla and hot water. Add coconut and walnuts. Pour mixture into tart shells, filling 2/3 full and no more.
• Bake in 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before attempting to remove. Makes 12 tarts.

BEST CANADIAN BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Cut in the lard and butter using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal.
• In a measuring cup, combine the egg and vinegar. Add enough cold water to make one cup.
• Gradually stir in the liquid, adding just enough to make the dough cling together.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball and divide into two equal portions. Tightly saran wrap both portions. Place one in the freezer for later use. Place the other in the fridge to chill for one hour.
• Roll the dough on a floured surface to about 1/8″ thick. Cut as many 4″ circles as you can. Re-roll the scraps and cut out more circles to make 12.
• Fit the pastry circles into a muffin pan and place back in the fridge until ready to fill.
• Preheat oven to 375F and position a rack in lower third of oven.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar. Remove from heat and stir in the cream and vanilla. Let cool to touch (about 5 minutes) before whisking in the egg.
• Divide the pecans (if using) among the pastry shells and pour in the filling until half full.
• Bake for 13-15 minutes or until crust is lightly golden around the edges and filling is bubbling.
• Let cool completely in the pan. Best way to remove the tarts from the pan is to place a cooling rack (upside down) on top and flip the pan over. Then individually flip each butter tart right side up.

OLD FASHIONED BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Butter Tart Pastry
• Sift flour, salt and sugar together.
• Using pastry blender cut butter into flour mix until resembles course meal.
• Add cold water a bit at a time until dough just starts to hold together. (too much water will make for a tough dough).
• Press dough together and shape into disk.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Roll out tart dough and cut 16 4-inch circles.
• Press dough in muffin cups (try not to stretch dough).
• Refrigerate until filling is prepared.
• Butter Tart Filling
• In large bowl, mix together butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir until butter is creamed and sugar is dissolved.
• Add eggs, vanilla and pinch of salt. Mix well.
• Fill tart shells with filling.
• Bake 400F for 15-20 minutes.
• Filling should be lightly browned and still bubbling.
• Let tarts cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.

SWEET BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface; cut into twelve 4-in. circles. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased muffin cups. , In a small bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg, milk, vanilla and maple flavoring. Stir in raisins., Fill each cup half full. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

OLD FASHIONED BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
• If making your own pastry, roll and cut your pastry into rounds with a 3.5 inch cutter, or the lid of a wide mouth mason jar. Lightly spray 2 12-cup muffin tins with non-stick spray and gently press the shells into the muffin tins
• In a medium size bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, then beat in the eggs, milk and vanilla until smooth.
• Stir in the raisins
• Spoon filling into each of the shells, filling to 2/3 full
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Allow to cool in the muffin tin, then remove and store in an airtight container.

CLASSIC (RAISINS OPTIONAL) BUTTER TART RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift together flour and salt. Cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
• Combine water and vinegar in another bowl. Sprinkle liquid over flour mixture. With your fingers, work in liquid and gather dough into a ball and divide into two equal pieces. Wrap in plastic, and let chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
• Lightly flour work surface and roll out dough to ¼-inch thick. Use 4-inch rounds to cut, re-rolling bits to use all dough.
• Cream together butter, brown sugar, and salt with a whisk or a wooden spoon. Stir in vinegar, vanilla, eggs, and corn syrup just until combined. Don't over mix. Let chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Fit pastry rounds into tart tins or muffin cups. It's okay to have a slight overhang, or fold back in a little bit of pastry.
• Place 1 tsp raisins (if using) in each shell.
• Stir filling mixture. Spoon filling into shells until about three-quarters full.
• Bake tarts for 25-30 minutes or until filling is set. Cool slightly in pan on a rack. Remove while still warm. Tarts will take about 2 hours to firm up.
• Loosen tarts with a small, sharp knife and ease carefully out of pan. Eat any broken ones.