Butter Tart

Classic Canadian Butter Tarts

A true Canadian classic: a small, tender pastry shell filled with a buttery, caramel-like filling of brown sugar and maple syrup that bakes to a softly set, just-runny centre. The debate over runny vs. firm is real - pull them a few minutes early for the gooey version, leave them longer if you prefer set.

Prep

25 min

Cook

22 min

Total

47 min

Serves

12

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz / 2¼ cups) all-purpose flour, for pastry
• •200 g (7 oz) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine salt
• •30 g (¼ cup) ice water, approximately
• •150 g (5¼ oz / ¾ cup packed) light brown sugar, packed
• •60 ml (¼ cup) pure maple syrup, Canada No. 1 medium, if possible
• •60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• •1 whole (1 large) egg, room temperature
• •5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
• •15 g (2 tbsp) raisins, optional but traditional; or chopped pecan/walnut

Steps

1. 1 Make pastry: pulse flour and salt, cut in cold butter until pea-sized. Drizzle in ice water, a tablespoon at a time, tossing, just until shaggy dough forms. Flatten, wrap, chill 1 hour.
2. 2 Roll dough to 3 mm (⅛ inch) on a floured surface. Cut 12 rounds of about 8 cm (3¼ inch) and press into a 12-cup standard muffin tin, trimming flush. Chill 20 minutes while you make the filling.
3. 3 Heat oven to 220°C / 425°F with a rack in the lower third.
4. 4 Make filling: whisk egg, brown sugar, maple syrup, melted butter and vanilla until smooth. Do not over-beat or the filling will foam and crack the pastry.
5. 5 Scatter raisins (or nuts) into the chilled shells, about 4–5 per tart.
6. 6 Pour filling into each shell, filling no more than three-quarters full - any higher and they will boil over.
7. 7 Bake at 220°C / 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 180°C / 350°F and bake 10–12 minutes more. Pull at the first sign of a set edge and a still-jiggly centre for a runny tart; bake 2–3 minutes longer for a firm set, but do not exceed the upper time or the caramel will scorch.
8. 8 Cool in the pan for 15 minutes - the filling finishes setting here - then run a thin knife around each and lift out. Serve warm or at room temperature.
9. 9 Safety check: filling is safe once the centre registers at least 82°C / 180°F on an instant-read thermometer; eggs are fully cooked in this recipe, so children and pregnant people can eat them safely.