Butter Tarts
These Butter Tarts are a Canadian classic that comes together with just 25 minutes of prep! Homemade pastry shells are filled with a rich, caramel-y filling and pecans or raisins, then baked until buttery and flaky on the inside and gooey on the inside.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cupall-purpose flour ((227 grams)** see note)
- 1 tspsugar
- ½ tspsalt
- ½ cupcold unsalted butter (cubed (112 grams))
- ⅓ cupcold water
- 1 cupsbrown sugar, packed ((190 grams))
- ½ cupgolden corn syrup
- ¼ cupsalted butter, melted
- 2eggs
- 1 teaspoonwhite vinegar ((optional: it helps to cut the sweetness))
- 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
- optional: ½ cup raisins or pecans
Directions
Pastry tart shells
- 1
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- 2
Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter (or your hands!), until crumbly. (The butter should be in pea-sized chunks.)
- 3
Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water and work the dough with your hands, until it comes together in a ball, adding in additional cold water if necessary.
- 4
Shape the dough into a fat disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate it for at least 1 hour or up to 1 week.
- 5
On a large piece of parchment paper, roll out the pastry.
- 6
Use a circular cookie cutter or large cup to cut the dough into 3½-4" rounds.
- 7
Place the rounds into a muffin pan, gently pressing the pastry into the bottom of the cup and up the sides. You will fill one 12-cup muffin pan.
- 8
Place the muffin pan into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Butter tart filling
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla
- 3
Gently ladle the filling into the unbaked tart shells, dividing evenly between the 12.
- 4
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the filling has puffed slightly.
- 5
Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 6
Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled. (The colder the tarts, the firmer the filling.)