Meet the Canadian butter tart - a
delectable dessert you can easily bake using only kitchen pantry
staples. This famous pastry even has an annual festival of its own in
Ontario called the Butter Tart Festival, complete with two separate
self-guided trails dotted with cafes and bakeries where you can find
butter tarts.
Butter tarts are made of leftover pie
dough. You can use store-bought or make it your way - it's your choice.
As you would expect from Canada, one of the most controversial and
heated debates in the country concerns the extra ingredient in the
recipe. Some claim it should be baked with raisins, and others profusely
reject this idea in favor of nuts.
In my opinion, the best part about butter tarts is how forgiving they
are. They're meant to look rustic, so when the crust comes out
not-so-perfect, it only adds to the effect! The challenging thing about
them is figuring out how long you would like them to bake. Some like
them runnier, whereas others prefer them to set.
For the filling
Ingredients:
⅔ cup light brown sugar
⅓ cup maple syrup
4 tbsp unsalted butter, very soft
1 large egg
1½ tsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
Optional: a handful of raisins, dried currants, chopped pecans, or
chopped walnuts.
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Prepare and chill the pie dough.
2. Roll the dough about ⅛-inch thick or a bit thinner. You don't have to
make it rounded.
3. Using a 4-inch-diameter cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles.
Line each cup of a muffin pan with one of the circles, making sure the
top edge of the dough reaches about the middle of the cup. Gather the
scraps and reroll the dough if you need additional circles. Chill the
pan in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
4. Combine the sugar, maple syrup, and butter in a mixing bowl. Whisk
briefly. Add the egg, vinegar, vanilla, and salt, and whisk again.
5. If you’re using dried fruit or nuts, add them now but don’t pack
them. Divide the filling evenly between the shells.
6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the filling bubbles and darkens.
7. Let cool for 5 minutes, then carefully run a butter knife around the
edge to loosen each tart. Let the tarts cool completely in the pan, then
remove.
8. If you'll enjoy leftovers, let them come to room temperature. Better
yet, reheat them in the oven for 5 minutes at 300°F (150°C).