Pure Canadian Butter Tarts

It’s my uncles birthday this week, and unlike most years, I get to celebrate it with him! So to get ready for the occasion I asked my aunt what kind of cake he’d like the best. Personally I like birthday PIE! Butterscotch pie to be exact…but it’s not my birthday.

Anyways, my aunt said that if my uncle could have anything it would be a batch of gooey butter tarts. And being the true Canadian that I am, I think that this is a GREAT favorite! Over the years I’ve collected quite a few recipes for this amazing dessert, and the question is always “maple syrup or corn syrup?”. Yes, I am Canadian. Yes, I love my country. Yes, I love maple syrup on everything (cookies, pancakes, ice cream..even snow). Buuuuuut, butter tarts are simply better with corn syrup. It’s a fact, and I have my cousin to thank for that trick. No one has a better recipe than hers – not any store OR anyone.

This recipe has been in the family for years, and thank goodness it’s not a secret. Why would we keep this delectable treat to ourselves? I surely wont. I want to share it with everyone so that they can make it for me one day. Also, butter tarts are on my all-time favorite foods list! So I simply must let the world know how to make them.

The one thing that can be tweeked in this recipe is the pie-crust. I posted my personal favorite (making a fresh crust) that is made especially for these butter tarts, but you can always use a regular pie crust recipe, or a thawed frozen crust as well. Whatever your lovely heart desires.

Ready to get started? This recipe makes 12 lovely butter tarts.

Ingredients:
Tart Crust:
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
6oz cold cream cheese
1 cup cold unsalted butter
2 tbsp ice water

Filling:
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup corn syrup
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
*1/4 cup raisons or pecans if desired

Directions:
Crust:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 12-cup muffin pan.
2. Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Grate in the butter and cut the cream cheese into chunks before adding to the mixture.

3. Then mix together until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in enough water to form a firm dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick. Use a circular fluted cookie cutter to cut out 12 dough rounds. Press the dough rounds into the prepared cups.

Filling:
5. With a mixer on high speed, beat the egg until frothy. Beat in the rest of the filling ingredients
6. Spoon the filling into the cups until almost full. Bake until piecrust in browned