Butter Tarts are a classic Canadian sweet dessert. A flaky, buttery pie crust called Pâte brisée, which is a shortcrust pastry with a higher butter content, with a gooey semi-solid filling, these butter tarts are a real treat.
I like a filling that is soft but not runny, which means no corn syrup is added and all the ingredients are simply beaten together. I made 4 variations of butter tarts: plain, walnuts, raisins and chocolate chip. It was the first time I had chocolate chip butter tarts, but the combination is very delicious.
My new favourite variations are now chocolate chip and walnuts butter tarts, which would be also a good combination in one tart.
Butter Tarts
A flaky, buttery pie crust called Pâte brisée, which is a shortcrust pastry with a higher butter content, with a gooey semi-solid filling, these butter tarts are a real treat.
Servings: 12 tarts
Ingredients
- - Pie Crust Pastry:
- 1 1/4 cups 175 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon 15 grams granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup 113 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 1/8 to 1/4 cup 30 - 60 ml ice water
- - Butter Tart Filling:
- 1/3 cup 70 grams unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup 210 grams light brown sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup 60 ml table cream or milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup 120 ml raisins, chopped walnuts or chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- - Pie Crust Pastry:
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt.
- Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas.
- Add the water and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.
- Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using.
- After the dough has chilled sufficiently, place on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough and cut into 12 - 4 inch (10 cm) rounds. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).
- Gently place the rounds into a 12-cup muffin tin.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm the dough.
- - Butter Tart Filling:
- In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla extract and salt. Stir in the cream.
- If using nuts and/or raisins or chocolate chips, place a spoonful in the bottom of each tart shell and then fill the unbaked tart shells with the filling.
- Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 15 - 20 minutes or until the pastry has nicely browned and the filling is puffed and set.
- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve at room temperature.
Adapted from Joy of Baking
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