Classic Canadian Butter Tarts
Prep 3Hr | Bake 25M | Enjoy in 3Hr 25M
When we think of great Canadian recipes, butter tarts are at the top of the list. These sweet treats are a favourite year-round, but an absolute must-have on any holiday baking platter. This recipe can use raisins or pecans depending on how you like your butter tarts.
Makes 12 tarts.
Ingredients - Pie Dough:
2 ¼ cups cake and pastry flour
2 tbsp sugar
¾ tsp salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar
Ingredients - Butter Tart Filling:
½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown or demerara sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup maple syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
½ cup raisins or lightly toasted pecan pieces
Directions:
Pie Dough
- Stir the flour, sugar and salt to combine in a bowl or using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cut in the butter by hand with a pastry cutter or on low speed until just small pieces of butter are visible and the mixture begins to take on a pale yellow colour (indicating that the butter has been worked in sufficiently).
- Stir the water and lemon juice together and add this to the dough all at once, mixing until the dough just comes together.
- Shape the dough into 2 logs, wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before rolling. Alternatively, the dough can be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed in the fridge before rolling.
Butter Tart Filling
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Pull the chilled dough from the fridge 20 minutes before rolling.
- Cut each of the logs of chilled pie dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece out on a lightly floured work surface to just under a ¼-inch thick and use a 4 ½-inch round cookie cutter to cut each into a circle. Line each muffin cup with the pastry so that it comes about ½-inch higher than the muffin tin, and chill the lined tin while preparing the filling.
- Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepot over medium heat, stirring until the mixture is bubbling. Remove the pot from the heat.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla and salt and slowly pour in the hot sugar mixture while whisking constantly until incorporated. Sprinkle a few pecan (or raisin) pieces into the bottom of each tart shells and ladle or pour the filling into each shell.
- Bake the tarts for 10 minutes at 400°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 375° F and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the crust edges have browned. Cool the tarts in the tin and after about 5 minutes, carefully twist them around in the pan to prevent sticking and keep them in the pan until completely cooled.
- The butter tarts should be stored refrigerated but are best served at room temperature. The tarts can be stored chilled for up to 3 days.
Get the nutrition facts for this recipe here.
