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Delicious homemade butter tarts with a rich, gooey filling and flaky pastry crust.
Alyssa

Butter Tarts

This Butter Tarts Recipe will teach you to make the classic Canadian dessert with flaky pastry shells filled with a rich and gooey sweet filling.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12 tarts
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Canadian
Calories: 239

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup salted butter (cold and cubed)
  • 4-5 tablespoons very cold water
  • ½ cup corn syrup
  • cup light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
  • 1 large egg (at room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup raisins (optional)

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. With a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until only pea sized pieces remain. Add cold water until the dough is shaggy, form into a disc, cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
  2. Roll the chilled dough to ⅛” thickness, cut into 4” circles, and press into a muffin tin. Chill again while preparing the filling.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  4. In a bowl, whisk together the corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg until smooth.
  5. If using raisins, distribute them in tart shells, then fill with the syrup mixture halfway.
  6. Bake for 5 minutes at 400°F, lower to 350°F, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until filling is bubbling.
  7. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Notes

These are classic Canadian tarts perfect for dessert or special occasions.