lattelady63:Hello OKPers! On a recent trip to Vancuver, the husband and I became quite enamored with butter tarts. I've found some fairly simple recipes online, but I've never really gotten into making my own crust. Any hints on how to make dough/get it in the tin without rolling, or some good frozen varieties?
I'm a bit late to the thread, but you can easily shape a ball of pastry dough to a muffin tin with your fingers or, if you're fancy-schmancy, you can get a 'tart shaper' - basically a stick with a tart mold on each end. It's nicer to do it with your fingers though, because then the tarts look homemade. If the shells are too perfect, people think you got them from a bakery.
While butter tarts are lovely, lets not forget the joy of Butter Tart Squares:
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter at room temperature
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Generous pinch of salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
½ cup flour
2/3 cup corn syrup
1 ½ cups golden raisins
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter a 9 x 13 pan or 2 8-inch square pans. Cream brown sugar and butter until well blended. Gradually stir in 1 ½ cups flour. Firmly and evenly press mixture into bottom of pan(s). Bake in centre of 350F oven until light brown and set, about 12-14 minutes. Cool slightly.
For filling, whisk eggs with vanilla and salt until foamy. Beat in granulated sugar. Gradually beat in remaining ½ cup of flour. Stir in corn syrup until evenly mixed, then raisins and cranberries. Divide filling over partially cooked base(s) and evenly spread out. Return pan(s) to oven and continue baking until squares are browned and edges start to pull away from sides of pan, 20–23 minutes. Remove to a rack and cool at least 30 minutes, Cut in squares. Serve or store in fridge. Can be frozen and kept for up to 6 months.
Heaven in a pan....
Kes - I agree with Nudles23. Butter tarts are like pecan pies without the pecans. Unless, you have pecan butter tarts! You can get them with raisins, pecans, walnuts or coconut. I don't like the raisin ones though because the raisins make me think of house-flies.
There's a rope around my neck
and there's a trigger in your gun.
Jesus, say something.
I am someone, I am someone
I am someone.