Butter tarts

[Mezzaluna]

I read an article in my Sunday paper today about butter tarts. It said they are a speciality in Ontario. To me they seem to be a lot like American pecan pies (or other sugar pies). Those who eat and make them seem to have definite opinions about what makes the best ones. Can anyone enlighten me about them?

[Isa]

There you are!


Butter Tart

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter
2 cups raisins
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup chopped walnuts
24 (3 inch) tart shells

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Cream the butter, sugar and eggs well. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Pour batter into tart shells, no more than half full. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Watch carefully!!--they'll burn quickly.

Filling will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or so. Use any good pie pastry for shells.


Country Bulk's Butter Tart Squares

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch of salt
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (Optional)

Combine one cup flour and sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Press into an ungreased 9" square pan. Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes. Beat together eggs, brown sugar, two tablespoons flour, baking powder, vanilla and salt. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour this mixture over the base. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until the filling is almost firm. Let cool and cut into small squares.

36 Servings


The Ultimate Butter Tart

Pastry for double crust pie
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup raisins

Prepare pastry. Roll out thinly on floured surface. Cut into rounds with 4" round cutter. Fit into medium-sized muffin cups.

Combine all ingredients except raisins; mix well. Put raisins into pastry shells, dividing evenly. Fill 2/3 full with syrup mixture. Bake on bottom shelf at 425°F for 12 to 15 minutes or just until set. Cool on wire rack, then remove from pans.

12 Servings


Butter Tarts

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar; packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup raisins or currants
12 tart shells, lined with pastry dough

In bowl, cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat in egg and corn syrup. Spoon raisins into tart shells; pour in the filling, two-thirds full. Bake in 375°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned.

12 Servings

Butter Tarts

1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Put plump raisins in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cream room temperature butter and gradually add sugar. Beat until light. Add beaten egg. Stir in raisins and lemon juice. Fill pastry-lined tart tins with a teaspoon of the mixture (about 1/3 full). Bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes.

[Isa]

Mezz,


If you decide to make butter tart, use the following recipe, it came from the Robin Hood flour website.


Butter Tarts
24 tarts


1 cup raisins
24 3-inch unbaked tart shells
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 easpoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt



Prepare Double-crust pastry recipe. Roll 1/8 inches (3 mm) thick to yield 24 tart shells.

Line muffin tins with tart shells; divide raisins evenly among shells.

In a bowl, lightly beat together eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla and salt.

Pour over raisins, filling shells about 3/4 full.

Bake in a preheated 425°F (220°C) oven just until set, about 15 minutes.

Cool on wire rack, then carefully remove from pan.

[Mezzaluna]

Thanks Isa! I'll give them a try. I'm guessing the ones with the 1 cup of corn syrup would be the "runny" ones? The other mixtures seem more like the filling for a pecan pie- with the texture of, say, tapioca pudding.

[Isa]

I'm sorry I can't help you on that one. I never made or ate butter tart.

[mudbug]

Mezzaluna,

To answer your original question, they taste like pecan pies without the pecans.

This is a fairly typical recipe...

A very small (single-serving) pie.

BUTTER TARTS

"These tarts were the basis for Butter Tart Pie and Butter Tart Squares which appeared in later decades. Another variation uses maple syrup instead of corn syrup.

Butter Tarts are uniquely Canadian. There are theories whether they were adpated from southern pecan pie, old-fashioned sugar pies, or maple syrup, bakcwoods or vinegar pies.

Squabbles arise whether or not the tarts should be runny or not, and just how runny. Opinons differ about the use of syrup or sugar only, eggs beaten or not, currants or raisins, and how the tart pans should be filled."

Categories: Canadian, Pie
Yield: 1 servings

1/4 c Butter
1/2 c Brown sugar; packed
1/2 ts Vanilla
1 Egg
1/2 c Corn syrup
1/2 c Raisins; or currants
12 Tart shells;lined with pastry dough


In bowl, cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat in egg and corn syrup. Spoon raisins into tart shells; pour in the filling, two-thirds full.

Bake in 375F oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned.

MAKES: 12 TARTS

SOURCE: The 1st decade chapter in A Century of Canadian Home Cooking