Perfect Butter Tarts

Butter tarts are one of the things that gives Canada the reputation of the world's best country to live in. Their sweetness explodes in the mouth and dribbles down the chin. Butter tart eaters are divided on whether the filling should be runny or not. They are the quintessential after-school treat. Canadians can buy good ones ready made but for the rest of the world, here is the genuine recipe.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 14
• Yields: 14 tarts

Ingredients

•  pastry for double-crust pie
• 1⁄3 cup butter
• 1⁄2 cup corn syrup
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 2⁄3 cup raisins
• 1  teaspoon rum
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  egg

Directions

1. Roll out pastry on floured workspace 1/8-inch thick and cut into 3 75-inch rounds.
2. Use these rounds to line 14 muffin cups.
3. Melt butter in small saucepan.
4. Remove from heat and stir in corn syrup, brown sugar, raisins, rum and salt.
5. Lightly beat the egg and add to raisin mixture.
6. Use mixture to fill pastry lined cups 3/4 full.
7. Bake in 425°F oven for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.
8. Remove from oven, run tip of knife around edges to loosen and let stand for at least 10 minutes before removing from muffin tins.