Butter Tarts

A few weeks ago cookbook author and CBC personality Julie Van Rosendaal posted this message on social media:

'Amid all the grief and frustration and sadness, we’re baking butter tarts today all across Canada-together while apart.'

Out of this came the great Canadian Butter Tart Bake Off.

This uniquely Canadian dessert is the subject of considerable debate. Should the filling be running or solid? Should they have raisins or not?  Chocolate chips? Pecans? Coconut? Lots of debating points. What we can all agree on is that butter tarts are one of the tastiest things to come out of the True North. Nothing beats the flaky pastry filled with a perfectly sticky-sweet centre.

I have a recipe from an old Mennonite cookbook that I have been making for years. For the #buttertartbakeoff I decided to go with the recipe that Julie posted (it was her grandmothers). However, it gave a runny centre and since I don't like the filling to drip down the front of me I added an extra egg and decreased the syrup a bit. The end result was perfect!

Grandma Woodall’s Butter Tarts (Makes 1 dozen)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Roger’s Golden or corn syrup
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
Handful of raisins, currants or chopped pecans (optional)
NOTE - you can use 12 pre-lined tart shells or your favourite pastry recipe to make the tarts. I always have pastry in the freezer that I buy from a group of Mennonite women in St. Jacobs.

Preheat oven to 400F. If you are not using pre-lined pastry shells . . . . on a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out circles using a 4-inch cookie cutter or the rim of a glass or can, and press into ungreased muffin cups.

In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, syrup, butter, beaten egg and vanilla. Stir in the fruit or nuts if using.

Fill the tart shells about 2/3rds full and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Coax them out of the pan using a thin knife while they’re still warm, otherwise any goo that has bubbled over will stick to the pan as it cools. If it does, pop them back in the oven for a minute to soften again. Once out of the pan, cool tarts on a wire rack.

Comments

[Darren]

Jerry, you say "roll out the pastry" but it is not in your list of ingredients. Is this a pie dough pastry/crust, puff pastry, homemade or store bought.

[JDeQ]

Sorry about that Darren. The original recipe called for making pastry as well but I EVER make my own pastry. I buy it frozen in two crust balls from a group of Mennonite women in St. Jacobs. I have updated the post to reflect this. Thanks for the catch, I appreciate that.

[Darren]

I made these using a faux puff pastry I'd been wanting to try. Followed your suggestion on reducing syrup and adding a small/medium egg. It was easier than I thought and will be making these again. Thanks.