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Hisakazu Watanabe, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Butter Tarts

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Servings 12 servings

Equipment

  • 1 muffin pan
  • 1 food processor optional

Ingredients
  

Pastry Crust

  • 1 ½ c all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ c cold unsalted butter cubed
  • ½ c cold water

Butter Tart Filling

  • 1 c brown sugar packed
  • ½ c golden corn syrup
  • ¼ c salted butter melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ c raisins or pecans optional

Instructions
 

Pastry Tart Shells

  • Stir together flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter (or use your hands!) until crumbly — the butter should be in roughly pea-sized chunks. (FOOD PROCESSOR: combine flour, salt, sugar by pulsing a few times. Add in butter cubes and pulse until crumbly)
  • Stir in 2-3 tbsp cold water and work dough with your hands until it comes together in a ball, adding in additional ice water if necessary. (FOOD PROCESSOR: Add water and pulse until dough starts to form a ball, then press dough together into a ball)
  • Shape into a fat disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 week.
  • Roll out pastry on a large piece of wax paper — make sure it isn't too thin.
  • Cut dough into 3-3.5" rounds using a circle cookie cutter, large cup or small bowl.
  • Place rounds into a muffin pan, gently pressing the pastry into the bottom of the cup and up the sides. If you knick a hole in it, use your finger to press the pastry back together. You will fill one 12-cup muffin pan.
  • Place muffin pan into the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

Butter Tart Filling

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, eggs, vinegar (if using) and vanilla
  • Gently ladle the filling into the unbaked tart shells, dividing evenly between the 12.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and filling has puffed slightly.
  • Let cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing to a wire cooling rack.
  • Store baked butter tarts in the fridge for several days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Keyword butter, tart