Alyssa's Butter-Fly Tarts

Submitted by CountryLady

"Like Nanaimo Bars, butter tarts are a Canadian treat and all recipes are very similar. Increase the corn syrup - they will be runnier; increase the brown sugar - they will be less runny. The cooking time will also affect the texture of the filling. My daughter and granddaughter won second place in the butter tart contest at the Good Food Festival in Toronto...... and yes, I am very proud of them ....... and yes, the tarts are delicious! My granddaughter came up with the recipe name based on the display platter they used for the contest. You can leave out the raisins entirely or decrease the amount ........ try currants or pecans, or walnuts or a mixture. My grandchildren like them with chocolate chips - the choice is yours!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Yields: 12 tarts

ingredients

• Pastry

• 2 cups cake-and-pastry flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup cold butter
• 3 tablespoons cold shortening
• 1⁄2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons ice water

• Filling

• 1⁄2 cup raisins
• 1⁄4 cup dark rum (or water)
• 1⁄4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup golden syrup
• 1⁄3 cup butter (softened)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla
• 1 egg (beaten)

directions

1. PASTRY: Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl; cut in butter and shortening until pieces are about the size of small peas.
3. Stir lemon juice into 3 tbsp of ice water; stir into flour mixture, adding more ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, if needed, to just moisten.
4. Press together to form a ball of dough; flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
5. Roll out pastry and cut into 4-inch (approx) circles using a round cookie cutter or the open end of a drinking glass.
6. Fit pastry circles into muffin cups; refridgerate while preparing the filling.
7. FILLING: Place raisins into a small bowl and cover with rum that has been warmed in the microwave or a small pot (or hot tap water) to soak and soften while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
8. Mix the brown sugar, golden corn syrup, butter and salt together in a medium bowl until the sugar is dissolved and no butter streaks are visible.
9. Add vanilla and egg and mix until combined.
10. ASSEMBLY: Drain raisins and divide among tart shells; add approximately 2 tbsp of filling to each tart shell.
11. Bake 15 – 18 minutes or until the filling is lightly browned and bubbling.
12. Remove from oven and cool in the muffin pans for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely on racks.

Reviews

[Gerry]

A long overdue review for these lovely prize winning tarts.Suspect every Canadian family likely has a favorite recipe as I do for these delicious treats - since the first making of these awesome butter tarts another has been added to my cookbook. If time allows an extra batch using pecans will be on my holiday serving tray.Used water for the soakings of the raisins but will be making up some using the rum for the holidays. Thank you CountryLady and a special thank you to Alyssa for sharing your prize winner - they are a winner here at our house too!