Butter Tarts
In short: Flaky pastry shells filled with a gooey, sweet mixture of butter, brown sugar, egg and maple, baked until the tops bubble and set. It takes about 1 h 2 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 2 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 320 kcal
Butter tarts are a Canadian classic: small, flaky pastry shells holding a sweet filling that sets with a slightly runny center. The filling is simple, made with butter, brown sugar, egg and syrup, and the eternal debate is over raisins, pecans or neither, and runny or firm. This version stays soft and gooey in the middle with a thin, crisp skin on top, and makes 12 tarts.
Instructions
- Rub the butter into the flour, sugar and salt until crumbly with a few pea-sized pieces. Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. Flatten, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Roll the dough 3 mm (1/8 in) thick and cut twelve 10 cm (4 in) rounds. Press them into a lightly greased 12-cup muffin tin and chill for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, vinegar and salt until smooth.
- If using raisins or pecans, put about 1 teaspoon in each pastry shell.
- Spoon the filling into the shells until they are about two-thirds full, roughly 2 tablespoons each.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the filling bubbles and the pastry edges are golden. Stop at 18 minutes for runny centers.
- Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, run a knife around each tart and lift out. Cool completely on a rack, where the filling will set.
Tips
- For runny tarts, bake just until the filling bubbles at the edges. For a firmer set, bake 3 to 4 minutes longer. Overfilling makes them boil over and stick, so stay at two-thirds.
- Scraps of dough can be rolled again. The filling also works in one 23 cm (9 in) pie shell, baked for about 35 minutes.
Questions and answers
Should butter tarts be runny or firm?
That is a matter of taste in Canada. Stop baking when the filling bubbles for runny tarts, or bake 3 to 4 minutes longer for a firmer set.
How do I stop butter tarts from sticking to the pan?
Grease the muffin tin lightly, avoid overfilling, and let the tarts cool for 5 minutes before running a knife around each one.
Can I freeze butter tarts?
Yes. Freeze the cooled tarts in a single layer, then bag them for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
How long does it take to make Butter Tarts?
About 1 h 2 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 22 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Butter Tarts?
About 320 kcal per serving, with 4 g of protein, 36 g of carbohydrates and 18 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 320 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 22 g |
| Sodium | 190 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
