Butter Tarts Recipe

This recipe makes a dozen  Butter Tarts. This is a Canadian classic! 

I have seen a lot of fairly elaborate recipes for making these super rich ooey gooey tarts (note: some people make them into full pies but I find this an especially messy way of serving this recipe.  Individual tarts are much more practical.  If you look for them, you can also find recipes for butter tart squares instead if you prefer.  Again, my personal preference is still for the individual tarts because even the squares can be kind of messy.  I don’t like being sticky!) but chose this one for its simplicity. I have made it many many times and it has worked out beautifully every time. It’s now a family favorite. Add walnuts or pecans to it for a yummy variation.

Ingredients:

Pastry (I prefer to use Martha Stewart’s pate brisee recipe which can be found here.  You need enough dough to make a dozen tarts.)

The filling ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup raisins (optional but I think that a butter tart without raisins ain’t a butter tart, or can be replaced with chopped pecans or walnuts BUT traditional butter tarts always have raisins in them)

Instructions: Prepare your pie dough according to Martha’s instructions. (Thank you Martha!)  Use a round cookie cutter (or find something around the house to use as a substitute like a drinking glass or tin can).  Press these circles of dough into muffin pans.  Now for preparing the filling.  Combine together the corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, and egg.  Blend well.  Add the vanilla and stir in the raisins.  Spoon the filling into the tart shells and fill to just below the rim.
Bake at 400 degrees F for about 10 mins until golden brown.