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The Best Canadian Butter Tarts Recipe

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3.8 from 4 reviews

Classic Canadian Butter Tarts with a flaky homemade pastry crust and a rich, gooey filling made from brown sugar, butter, and raisins. This beloved dessert is perfect for any occasion and showcases the traditional Canadian treat at its best.

Ingredients

Butter Tart Pastry Crust

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup cold butter, cubed into smaller pieces
  • ½ cup cold lard (Tenderflake), cubed into smaller pieces
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
  • Ice water (approximately to make ½ cup liquid with the vinegar and egg yolk)

Butter Tart Filling

  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed and lumps broken up
  • ⅓ cup salted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg, beaten well
  • 2 tablespoons whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup Thompson raisins or currants

Instructions

  1. Make the Tart Crust by Hand: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter and lard using a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles pea-sized clumps within the flour. In a measuring cup, combine vinegar and beaten egg yolk, then add ice water to make ½ cup of liquid. Gradually stir the liquid into the flour mixture until the dough comes together. You might not need all the liquid; add more ice water a little at a time if necessary. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour or freeze for later use.
  2. Make the Tart Crust with a Food Processor: Pulse flour and salt for a few seconds in the food processor. Add cold butter and lard cubes and pulse until pea-sized clumps form. Slowly add the vinegar and egg yolk mixture combined with ice water while pulsing until the dough just starts to clump together. Gather dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate or freeze as above.
  3. Prepare the Tart Shells: After chilling, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. Using a 4-inch biscuit cutter, cut out circles and gently press each into muffin tin wells, ensuring tops rise slightly above the edges to prevent spilling. Chill the shells in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
  4. Prepare the Filling: In a large bowl or measuring cup, combine brown sugar, melted butter, beaten egg, whipping cream, and vanilla, stirring until smooth.
  5. Assemble and Bake the Butter Tarts: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the middle position. Place about half a tablespoon of raisins in the bottom of each tart shell. Fill each shell about two-thirds full with the filling mixture. Bake for 20-22 minutes until crust edges are golden and filling is set and firming. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for a few minutes. Run a butter knife around each tart to loosen from the muffin tin. Let cool completely in the pan before removing. If sticking occurs, refrigerate after loosening and then remove.
  6. Storage: Store cooled butter tarts in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers at room temperature for up to three days or freeze for longer storage.

Notes

  • Use Thompson raisins for a traditional taste or substitute currants if preferred.
  • Ensure dough edges rise slightly above muffin pan wells to prevent filling spillover.
  • Chilling the dough before rolling helps achieve a flaky crust.
  • If tarts stick when removing from the tin, chilling them further will firm them up for easier removal.
  • Butter tarts can be frozen for extended storage; thaw at room temperature before serving.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/the-best-canadian-butter-tarts-recipe/