Real Canadian Butter Tarts Recipes

Steps:

• Fill a cup with ice and water. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut in the shortening to make pea-size pieces. Add the tablespoons of ice water from the cup until dough holds together. Form the dough into a ball. The dough is now complete. Put it into a plastic bag or wrap it up and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
• Roll the dough between two sheets of waxed paper. Cut the shells using a large glass or your smallest pot. You should have about 12 shells when finished. Put these shells into a greased muffin or tart pan.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
• Put walnuts and coconut on baking pan and roast for 5-10 minutes, until brown. Remove from oven and set temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Fill the bottom of each tart shell with about 10 raisins each.
• Whisk together sugar, egg, butter, vanilla and hot water. Add coconut and walnuts. Pour mixture into tart shells, filling 2/3 full and no more.
• Bake in 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before attempting to remove. Makes 12 tarts.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place tart shells on a baking sheet; sprinkle raisins evenly into the bottom of each tart shell.
• Whisk together butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl; whisk in egg. Pour mixture into tart shells; sprinkle each tart with walnuts.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is light brown and filling is bubbly, about 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, about 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 170C/ conventional 190C/gas 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface so it's slightly thinner than straight from the pack. Then cut out 18-20 rounds with a 7.5cm fluted cutter, re-rolling the trimmings. Use the rounds to line two deep 12-hole tart tins (not muffin tins). If you only have a regular-sized, 12-hole tart tin you will be able to make a few more slightly shallower tarts.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl and combine with the rest of the ingredients except the walnuts. Tip this mixture into a pan and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes until the butter melts, and the mixture bubbles and starts to thicken. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Don't overcook, and be sure to stir all the time as the mixture can easily burn. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts.
• Spoon the filling into the unbaked tart shells so it's level with the pastry. Bake for 15-18 minutes until set and pale golden. Leave in the tin to cool for a few minutes before lifting out on to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.

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:

• Roll out pastry and cut into 12 circles.
• Fit pastrys into muffin or tart cups.
• Sprinkle raisins and or walnuts in the bottom of each tart.
• Beat together eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, butter and salt.
• Pour into tart shells, about 2/3 full.
• Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes, until set.
• Cool 5 minutes and remove from pan.
• In some places you can find pre made tart shells in the freezer section along side pie shells.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place shells in muffin tin (if they do not have tinfoil cups of their own) Beat the eggs.
• Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Put 1 tbsp in each shell and bake.
• (Do not worry about the small amount in shell they"swell" up during cooking) Bake 20-25 minutes till golden brown.
• Makes approximately 16 tarts.
• If desired, top with dash of whip cream.

Steps:

• Line tart tins with pastry. Sprinkle 6-8 currants into each tart shell.
• Let butter cool to room temp, then add the remaining ingredients. Stir until smooth.
• Spoon into unbaked tart shells, filling about 2/3 full.
• Bake at 200F for 15 min, then without taking the tarts out, turn the oven to 350°F Bake another 10-15 min, until they start to brown. This method will prevent them from boiling over.
• Note: I use Tenderflake lard and make the pastry using the instructions on the box, chilling the dough before rolling. Roll it a little thicker than for pie pastry, and use a little extra flour.

Steps:

• Line tart tins with pastry. Sprinkle 6 to 8 currants into each tart shell. Let butter cool to room temp, then add the remaining ingredients. Stir until smooth. Spoon into unbaked tart shells, filling about 2/3 full. Bake at 200°F for 15 minutes, then without taking the tarts out, turn the oven to 350°F. Bake another 10 to 15 min, until they start to brown. This method will prevent them from boiling over. Note: I use Tender flake lard and make the pastry using the instructions on the box, chilling the dough before rolling. Roll it a little thicker than for pie pastry, and use a little extra flour.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven 375.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface so it's slightly thinner than straight from the pack.
• Then cut out 18-20 rounds with a 3 inch fluted cutter, re-rolling the trimmings.
• Use the rounds to line two deep 12-hole tart tins (not muffin tins). If you only have a regular-sized, 12-hole tart tin you will be able to make a few more slightly shallower tarts.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl and combine with the rest of the ingredients except the walnuts.
• Tip this mixture into a pan and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes until the butter melts, and the mixture bubbles and starts to thicken. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Don't overcook, and be sure to stir all the time as the mixture can easily burn.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts.
• Spoon the filling into the unbaked tart shells so it's level with the pastry.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes until set and pale golden.
• Leave in the tin to cool for a few minutes before lifting out on to a wire rack.
• Serve warm or cold.