Prize Butter Tarts Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Prepare pastry dough; cut in circles and line 3-inch tart pans with pastry circles.
• Combine balance of ingredients.
• Spoon mixture into unbaked pastry lined pans, filling each no more than 2/3 full (if the filling bubbles over it makes one heck of a mess!). Bake for 20 minutes or until filling has cooked and pastry is golden.
• Notes: This can be made without the raisins or nuts, but they are very plain.
• I generally make these with a combination of nuts and raisins.
• Craisins can be substituted for the raisins.
• For Jam Tarts: Line tart pan cups with pastry.
• Fill cups 1/2 full with your choice of jam.
• Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place tart shells on a baking tray.
• Beat brown sugar and butter together in a bowl until creamy; beat in eggs, cream, and vanilla extract until combined. Fill tart shells 2/3 full with butter mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is lightly golden, about 18 minutes; remove to cool on a wire rack.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Combine brown sugar, raisins, butter, water, maple syrup, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until butter is melted and mixture is warm but not boiling, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes to cool a bit.
• Meanwhile, use a 4-inch round cutter to cut 12 circles of dough. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with the dough circles.
• Whisk egg and cream together in a small bowl, then whisk it into the cooled raisin mixture until well combined. Spoon it into the pastry shells, filling each one about 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue to bake, watching carefully, until the pastry edges are delicately browned, about 6 more minutes. Try to catch them before the filling bubbles up and spills over the edges.
• Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• For filling, beat cream cheese and Splenda until smooth.
• Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, and beat well. I usually prepare the filling in the food processor. Set aside.
• For crust, place 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface (keep remainder covered with a damp tea towel to prevent drying out). Brush with melted margarine (or butter). Place a second sheet on top. Cut into 12 squares. Place 1 square in each greased muffin cup, leaving the corners of the square extending up into points. Repeat with remaining 2 sheets of phyllo, placing this next square on top of the phyllo lined muffin cups, but giving it a 1/4 turn, so the points fit between the existing ones (completed pastry should look like a tulip).
• Divide cheese mixture between tart shells. If using optional filling drop 1/2 TBSP of any topping except fresh fruit, in center of each tart.
• Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until pastry is golden and filling is set.
• Cool in muffin tin on a rack until only warm, then remove from tin to rack to finish cooling.
• Store in the refrigerator.
• Garnish with fresh fruit (and a sprinkle of powdered sugar) if using that option.

Steps:

• Make the shells: In a processor, blend the flour, sugar, salt, butter and shortening until mixture resembles meal; transfer to a bowl and add 2-3 tblsps of ice water, or enough to form dough; knead dough briefly on a floured surface and chill it, wrapped plastic wrap, for 1 hour; roll out dough 3/8 inch thick on a floured surface, cut into rounds with a 4 1/2 inch cutter, and fit the rounds into 1/3 cup muffin tins.
• Make the filling: In a bowl beat the egg, vanilla and butter until well-combined and stir in brown sugar and vinegar; spoon filling into shells and bake in a preheated 400F (205C) oven for 15 minutes; let cool 5 minutes; carefully remove from tins and let cool completely.(filling will be thin and runny while hot but will firm up as it cools).
• Note: Many like raisins in their butter tarts (I don't); if you are one of them, add 1/4 cup raisins to the filling mixture.