Butter Tarts

Today was my last day at work for four weeks. I soon suspected by the way people's faces were glazing over when I said this that my countdown had gone on far too long. What can I say . . . I am an excited guy!

I thought that I would make a treat for my colleagues on my last day so I whipped up a batch of butter tarts. For the uninformed butter tarts are a unique Canadian treat - a wee bit like the Canadian version of pecan pie (without pecans or Karo syrup). There are theories about whether they were adapted from southern pecan pie, old-fashioned sugar pies, or maple syrup, backwoods or vinegar pies. Squabbles arise whether or not the tarts should be runny or not, and just how runny. Opinions differ about the use of syrup or sugar only, eggs beaten or not, currants or raisins, and how the tart pans should be filled.

Butter tarts are serious business for we Canadians.

I had told my friend Nancy that I made great butter tarts. She argued that her mom's would be better.

This is what she wrote after she tried one of these tarts:

The tart is AMAZING!!!! I need the recipe. I do believe it may even surpass my mom’s and my sister’s – and I don’t say that lightly!

Ha!

She then went on to eat three tarts.

This recipe is unique because it uses maple syrup. It is from an old cookbook of mine - The Mennonite Relief Sale Cookbook - originally published in 1973 (making this cookbook older than Paul!)

I do NOT make my own pastry - I find it far easier to buy prepared tart shells in the frozen food aisle.

This recipe makes about 2 dozen tarts.

Butter Tarts

2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup REAL maple syrup
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Arrange lined tart shells on a baking sheet (or in tart tins if you are making your own pastry)

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Beat until the thickness of cream.

Fill each shell 2/3 full.

Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the filling bubbling - about 30 minutes.

Note - nuts or raisins may be added. I HAVE to have raisins in my butter tarts but some twisted folk prefer them without. I made about 10 tarts without raisins and then added about 2/3 cup raisins to the remaining filling and filled the rest.

Comments

[Anne]

Jerry, I laugh at your comment "Butter tarts are serious business for we Canadians"...so true! I'm going to try your recipe and see how it compares to my Grammie's tarts, which are nigh on impossible to beat. These do look and sound delectable though!

[Barb Cabot]

3 more days!!! oooooh be still my heart! Have a great great time Jerry and Paul!

[Jerry]

Anne - being Canadian you would know! *smile* Enjoy!

Thanks barb!