Some things are unapologetically Canadian.
Like maple syrup. Peameal bacon. Poutine. And, for reasons I’ve never fully understood, the butter tart.
Growing up, we were never really that much of a butter tart family. I vaguely recall my grandmother making (or having) them occasionally, but other than that, we weren’t crazy for them the way many other families are. That’s no surprise to me since butter tarts are typically loaded with raisins, which just happen to be a dried fruit I hate with a passion. The only dessert my family ever went batshit crazy for was mincemeat, and that was really only once a year.
But then I fell in love with a man who loves butter tarts. Actually, as a full disclosure, when I first met the Everyman I found out that he ate a butter tart, banana and chocolate milk for breakfast every day. Mmm. Breakfast of champions, right? Luckily I’ve managed to nudge him in a slightly healthier direction over the years, but he still does love him some butter tarts. But, because they’re still not something I care for, I’d never thought to make them.
But then I came home one day and just felt like it, so I went with it. And of course, the Everyman was happy about that.
I despise the fussiness of pastry, so I just went with the simplest recipe I could find on Epicurious for tart shells. The only change I made to the recipe was to replace the sugar with vanilla sugar, and make an all butter crust, because I don’t believe in shortening. I had just enough dough to line 8 little fluted ramekins, which then got pricked and blind baked for half an hour.
Next, I mixed together the molten glop (otherwise known as the raisin butter custard).
Once it was thick and syrupy, I added a dash of maple syrup to it, then ladled the mixture into the pre-baked tart shells.
I kept a close watch while they baked for 15 minutes, because if there’s one thing I do know, it’s that nobody likes really burnt sugar. That watchfulness paid off, too. At the 15 minute point, I pulled the tarts just as the custard was setting and the sugar became brown and caramelly.
I have no idea how they taste, but the Everyman says they’re aces, so I guess that’s ok.
Foodie’s Canadian Butter Tarts
0.33 c. butter
0.5 c. corn syrup
0.5 c. brown sugar
0.66 c. raisins
1 tbsp maple syrup
0.5 tsp nutmeg
0.25 tsp salt
2 eggs
pastry shells
Preheat oven to 450*. Combine first 7 ingredients in a pot over medium heat and stir until sugar is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then beat in eggs. Let cool for an additional 5 minutes. Ladle custard into pastry shells, then bake on a sheet pan in the lower third of the oven for 15 minutes, watching carefully after the 10 minute mark. Once baked let cool to room temperature and serve.
Makes 8 4″ tarts, or 12 2″ tarts.
Until next time…
Tags: Baking, butter tarts, Canadiana, raisins, Recipes
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