The Perfect Butter Tarts

Wait till you try these ooey gooey Butter Tarts, which are a true Canadian classic! These are the ultimate sweet treat and with Canada Day upcoming, it is a must-try.

Ingredients

Make approximately 14-16 butter tarts

For the Pastry Dough

• 2¼ cups (300 grams) All Purpose Flour

• 2 tbsp (14 grams) Powder Sugar (white granulated sugar ground into powder)

• 1 tsp Salt (by error in the video I said 1 tbsp)

• 1 cup (226 grams) Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into small cubes

• 6-7 tbsp Water, ice cold

• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

For the Filing

• ½ cup (115 grams) Unsalted Butter, melted 

• ¾ cup (135 grams) Dark Brown Sugar, Packed

• 2 large Eggs

• ½ cup Maple Syrup

• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

• ¼ tsp Salt

Optional filling

• ½ cup (60 grams) Pecan, toasted and chopped

• ½ cup (40 grams) Raisins

Method

1. In a bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt. 

2. Toss in the cold butter cubes and with a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture till you get very small bits of butter covered with the flour.

3. To the ice-cold water, add the lemon juice and vanilla extract and give it a quick whisk. Add it to the flour and butter mixture and gently bring the dough together. 

4. Once the dough has come together, roll it into a log and wrap it up with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for about an hour for the dough to relax and the butter to firm up again.

5. Cut the firmed-up dough log into disks and roll out each disk till it’s about ¼ inch thick and 4 inches in diameter. You can use a cookie cutter to get an even edge.  If you are using a cookie cutter preserve the edges to use later to make some more tarts.

6. Now place the rolled-out disc into the muffin tray and gently press it down.  You want a rustic look around. You should get about 16-18 tarts.  Once you have rolled out the dough and filled the muffin trays, cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator once again for about 10 minutes.

7. In a small heavy-bottom saucepan, add the butter and dark brown sugar and over medium heat allow the butter and sugar to melt.  As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, take it off the heat. 

8. In another bowl, add the eggs and whisk them just to break them up. To the eggs add the maple syrup, lemon juice, pure vanilla extract, and salt. Give it a whisk till blended, then start streaming in the melted butter and brown sugar mixture while continuously whisking vigorously till well blended.

9. Now preheat your oven to 425F/220C and into the chilled tarts start putting a few of the chopped roasted pecans at the bottom. In some, you can add raisins if you like.  

10. Give the liquid mixture a quick stir and pour it into the tarts till they are 3/4 full.

11. Place the tray in the oven and bake at 425F/220C for 10 minutes then lower the temperature to 375F/190C and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the centres have set.

12. Allow the butter tarts to cool in the tray for about 5-10 minutes before removing them and placing them on a wire rack to cool.