Butter Tarts

Butter tart is a type of small pastry highly regarded in Canadian cuisine and considered one of Canada`s quintessential dessert!

This tart is an integral part of their cuisine and are objects of cultural pride of many communities!
These tarts are a delight to eat,with a soft filling and a flaky pastry!

Ingredients for crust:
All purpose flour or maida- 1 and 1/4 cup or 175 gms,
Sugar (powdered)- 1 tbsp- 15 gms,
Amul light butter- 100 gms -cold and cut into small pieces,
Ice water- 3 tbsp.

Ingredients for tart filling:
Butter-70 gms or 1/3 cup - softened,
Light brown sugar- 1 cup - 150 gms,
Eggs -2,

Vanilla essence- 1tsp,
Light cream ( Amul fresh cream )- 1/4 cup or 60ml,
Chopped walnuts or raisins- 1/4 cup.

Note:I always use salted butter for baking as unsalted is not available here.
If using unsalted butter ,then add 1/4 tsp of salt to the flour.
Sugar crystals are big here,whether white or brown sugar ,so I always grind them.
You can use cup trays or muffin tins for making tarts.
If cutter is not available of the required size,use glass or katori.
I have used 150 gms of sugar instead of 210 gms of sugar.

Method for making tart crust:
Grease the cups or muffin tins with butter.
Sieve the flour in a bowl.
Add sugar and mix with a wire whisk for few seconds.

Add cold butter.

With your fingers or potato crusher combine until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Pour 2 tbsp of cold  iced water to hold the dough together.

Add 1 tbsp more and then you will be able to form a ball.

Place the ball on a cling film or plastic and make a small disc.

Cover and put  the disc for 30 minutes in the fridge to firm up.

Take out and sprinkle some flour on the counter and place the dough on it.

Put the same cling film on top of the disc and with a rolling pin,roll the dough to 1/8 inch or 1/2 of 1/4 inch.

You have to cut the size according to your muffin tin or tray.

I have used a steel glass of 3 inch width.
Dip the cutter in flour and make round cuts.

Place the round cover in the greased cups and lightly press the bottom and sides.
Cover with cling film or plastic and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm the cups or 10 minutes in the freezer.
Gather the scrap and make cuts again filling the remaining cups or tins.

The dough could make for 9 cups and 5 muffin tins.

Cover and put in the fridge to firm up.

Butter tart filling:
Pre heat oven to 375 F or 190 C
Beat butter for few seconds with a beater.

Add sugar and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until a little creamy.

Add egg one at a time and beat for a minute.

Add vanilla essence and beat.

Remove the beater and stir in the cream.

With wire whisk or spatula,gently mix the cream.

Transfer the mixture to a measuring cup as it will be easy to fill the cups.

Take out the tart cups from the fridge or freezer and make pricks in the bottom of each tart with a fork.

This prevents the dough from puffing while baking.

Pour the filling in each cup,till 3/4 filled.
Sprinkle some walnuts on top.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry has slightly browned and the filling is puffed and set.

Remove from oven and place on wire rack.

The puffed filling will subside as it cools.

After 5 minutes,take a small knife and run round the edges of each cup.
The cups will loosen and come out easily.
Place them on wire rack to cool completely.
The filling inside is soft and moist and the sweetness is right to perfection. 

The combination of crust with the sweet moist filling is a delight to eat!
Makes 14 butter tarts!