Classic Canadian Butter Tarts
Butter tarts are an iconic Canadian dessert that's perfect for Thanksgiving or any other holiday or special dinner. With a tender flakey crust and a gooey buttery filling, the prep work is surprisingly easy and they bake up in just 18 minutes.
Classic Canadian Butter Tarts
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Category
Dessert
Cuisine
Canadian
Servings
12 Butter Tarts
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
18 minutes
Butter tarts are an iconic Canadian dessert that's perfect for Thanksgiving or any other holiday or special dinner. With a tender flakey crust and a gooey buttery filling, the prep work is surprisingly easy and they bake up in just 18 minutes.
Ingredients
-
190 grams Arva Imperial Pastry Flour
-
1/4 tsp salt (1-2 grams)
-
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/4-1/3 cup cold water (60-80 grams)
-
220 grams light brown sugar (heaping 1 cup, packed)
-
1/2 tsp salt (3 grams)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp white vinegar (5 grams)
-
1 tsp vanilla extract (5 grams)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (57 grams/4 Tbsp)
-
optional 1/4 cup raisins, soaked and patted dry
-
optional 1/2 cup pecans, toasted
Dough
Filling
Directions
Whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the chilled cubed butter and cut it into the flour by hand or with a pastry blender until the butter pieces are about pea-sized. Drizzle in the cold water while mixing with a spatula. The dough will still be in pieces, but bring it together with your hands in the bowl. Transfer the dough to a clean, floured work surface to roll out, or wrap and refrigerate for up to three days.
Roll the dough out into a 12"x16" rectangle. Cut 12 circles using an English muffin ring or any cutter with a diameter close to 4 inches. The scraps can be pressed into the bases of the tarts.
Press the 12 dough circles into the cups of a muffin tin, non-stick if possible. Press gently so they fit the form of the cups and add the dough scraps into the base of the tarts.
Refrigerate the muffin tin for at least 15 minutes while you make the filling and preheat the oven to 425°F.
Toast the pecans and soak the raisins in hot water if you're using them.
In a bowl with a spout if possible, mix the filling ingredients together (except nuts and dried fruit). Add the melted butter last.
If using raisins, drain and pat them dry with a towel. Place raisins and/or toasted pecans in the bottom of the crusts.
Pour the filling into the crusts, about 1/2 to 3/4 inches high. The filling will puff upward when baking.
Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F, then lower the oven temp to 400°F and bake an additional 8 minutes.
Remove the butter tarts from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tin. If you don't have a non-stick pan, run a knife around the edge of the tarts a few minutes after you remove the pan from the oven, then continue to let them cool in the tin.