[personal profile] minxybaby
We have had such a craving for these things! I think I finally cured it. Which is good because I am all out of ingredients to make any more. lol These are such a delicious treat! They are a tradition in Canada. For my American friends, a butter tart is like a miniature pecan pie. I grew up on them with raisins, which I like to think is the traditional kind of butter tart. Only later in life did I discover that you can buy these with pecans, walnuts, or even plain. My husband's preferred type is plain. I like 'em plain or with pecans. I don't mind the raisins, but I'd rather skip 'em if given the choice.


These are two of the plain ones.



Butter Tarts

Yield: 1 dozen deep-dish tarts (6 plain and 6 pecan)

I use just the good old CRISCO recipe for a double crust pie. I had enough for a dozen with scraps leftover. I tossed the scraps because you can only roll your dough so many times before it gets too dry and tough.

INGREDIENTS FOR TART SHELLS
    2 cups all purpose flour
    1 teaspoon salt
    3/4 cup CRISCO All-Vegetable Shortening, well chilled (you can definitely sub. unsalted butter for the shortening)
    4-8 tablespoons ice cold water

DIRECTIONS FOR TART SHELLS
Blend the flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut 1/2 inch (1.5cm) cubes of chilled shortening into flour mixture using a pastry blender or two knives, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces remaining.

Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of the ice cold water over the flour mixture. Using a fork, stir and draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top; press chunks down to bottom of bowl with fork. Add more water by the tablespoon, mixing until dough holds together.

Divide dough in two. Flatten balls into 1/2 inch (1.5cm) thick disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

Roll out dough and cut out circles to fit into regular muffin pans. Mine needed 4.5 inch (11.5cm) circles. I didn't have a biscuit cutter big enough, so I used to the lid of the biscuit cutter container. Use whatever you have! A large drinking cup? Perfect! For deep-dish you want the circles big enough so that the sides go all the way up to the top of the muffin cup. If you make yours a little smaller, that's fine too. You will just end up with more butter tarts.

So, finish filling the 12 muffin cups in your pan. When that's done, put it in the fridge to rest while you make the filling.

INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING
    1/2 cup pecans or walnuts or raisins
    1/2 cup soft butter
    1/2 cup packed brown sugar
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    1 cup corn syrup
    2 eggs, lightly beaten
    1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS
Remember, we're doing a deep-dish batch with half nut/raisin and half plain. If you want all nut/raisin, or all plain, you're going to have to adjust the amounts of everything.

If using raisins: 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 eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Drain raisins, if using.

Retrieve tart shells and divide nuts/raisins equally into 6 shells; then divide butter mixture into all tarts.

Bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes; filling will be lightly browned but still bubbling.

Bake time depends on how runny or firm you like your tarts. I like mine firm, so I baked them for 22 minutes and they were perfect. If you like them runny, check them at about 18 minutes. If you started with smaller pastry shells, ie are not making deep-dish, then you'll want to check on them sooner, around the 15 minute mark.

Let cooked butter tarts cool in pans for 10 minutes after removing from oven; then remove and place on racks until completely cool.


Find my growing recipe collection here: Minxy's Recipes
It is updated as new recipes are posted.

Date: 2010-01-22 01:46 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kawanee.livejournal.com
OMG YUM.

Date: 2010-01-22 01:52 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] biggerstaff.livejournal.com
Woo hoo! i've been looking for a good butter tart recipe for years that didn't start with "buy some frozen tart shells", lol. Thanks!

Date: 2010-01-23 03:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] minxy-baby.livejournal.com
You're welcome! You know me, I hate to post recipes when it's only half complete. I could just buy the shells, but I want to know how they're made. If I'm going to save money by making them from scratch, I'm going to make them from scratch all the way!

Date: 2010-01-22 03:38 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darker-one.livejournal.com
You have to stop posting pictures of your delicious butter tarts! I'm trying to watch what I eat, but every time I see one of your butter tart pictures here or on facebook I want to run to the bakery and buy a dozen tarts! So far I've managed to resist, but my willpower won't last much longer!

Date: 2010-01-22 06:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] captivatedheart.livejournal.com
Guess what? I can do this one too! ;) Now i've got 3 of your recipes on my to-do-list. I want to make perogies again too. :D

Date: 2010-01-23 02:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] minxy-baby.livejournal.com
Woohoo! Hope you like love them! I need to make more perogies too. I've been putting it off because it's such a challenge to find the time with a baby. lol

Date: 2010-01-22 06:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jenandbronze.livejournal.com
STOP IT STOP IT! Now I have a craving... I *LOVE* raisin butter tarts!!!!!

Date: 2010-01-22 07:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pantboyandpig.livejournal.com
They look lush, I just need to find an alternative to corn syrup as we dont have it over here, I wonder if golden syrup would work? I also need to convert it out of cups, for some reason I don't "get" cups - it must be a British thing! I'll let you know how it goes

Date: 2010-01-23 02:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] minxy-baby.livejournal.com
Someone else was asking about golden syrup. I've never had it before, but it looks like a good substitute. I'd love to hear how it works out for you!

Date: 2010-01-22 08:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] aussieteddie.livejournal.com
Now they look interesting to make. Thanks for the recipe.

Date: 2010-01-23 02:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] minxy-baby.livejournal.com
You're welcome!

Date: 2010-01-22 09:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jbredrebel.livejournal.com
i lovvvvvvvveeee butter tarts!!! never liked rasins and can't eat them now, but pecan one... yummy!!! mmmmm

Date: 2010-01-22 12:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mommyof-2girls.livejournal.com
Oh yummy. I think we use the same recipe, heh. I've been trying to find one without corn syrup though (kids+corn syrup=not pretty, LOL). And oh crap, I'm out of pecans!

Growing up we LOVED butter tarts but I'd always pick out the raisins. I'm still not a fan and prefer them plain. :)

Date: 2010-01-23 02:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] minxy-baby.livejournal.com
Do you mean kids+syrup for helping bake or eating? Either way, you're right it's messy. But for eating, I think that is going to be a difficult challenge because I don't know if you could take away the gooey-ness and still call it a butter tart. lol I cut them in half for Serenity and make sure she is in a waterproof sleeved bib. And she only licks out the filling. lol
Edited Date: 2010-01-23 03:05 pm (UTC)

Date: 2010-01-24 02:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mommyof-2girls.livejournal.com
Actually, the mess doesn't scare me (ha ha...remember, Lauren's started Baby-Led-Weaning so mess is her middle name!). It's the thought of giving corn syrup to Adrienne as an ingredient that I don't like...I've done so much reading about corn syrup and kids...I don't give it to he, that's all. We've been trying to limit everyone's sugar around here or at least find healthier alternatives (boo, hiss). But those freakin' tarts are screaming my name. I wonder if I could just hide them. ;)

Date: 2010-01-22 06:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] roseincognitus.livejournal.com
Oh! These are my favorite and I agree - pecans or plain - NO RAISINS!!! LOL
Will snag this and add to my recipe files. Thanks so much!

Date: 2010-01-23 02:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] minxy-baby.livejournal.com
You're welcome! Enjoy!

Date: 2010-01-22 08:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kaitysma.livejournal.com
Those look so good. I'm going to have to try this recipe over the weekend for sure.

Date: 2010-01-26 03:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fitfool.livejournal.com
Yum! Those look just like the miniature pecan pie tarts that one of my mom's friends would make for us at Christmas. Those were so tasty! Thanks for this recipe :-)

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