Butter Tarts

Butter Tarts are a classic Canadian sweet dessert. A flaky, buttery pie crust called Pâte brisée, which is a shortcrust pastry with a higher butter content, with a gooey semi-solid filling, these butter tarts are a real treat.

I like a filling that is soft but not runny, which means no corn syrup is added and all the ingredients are simply beaten together. I made 4 variations of butter tarts: plain, walnuts, raisins and chocolate chip. It was the first time I had chocolate chip butter tarts, but the combination is very delicious.

My new favourite variations are now chocolate chip and walnuts butter tarts, which would be also a good combination in one tart.

Print Recipe

Butter Tarts

A flaky, buttery pie crust called Pâte brisée, which is a shortcrust pastry with a higher butter content, with a gooey semi-solid filling, these butter tarts are a real treat.

Prep Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 12 tarts

Author: Fabio

Ingredients

• - Pie Crust Pastry:
• 1 1/4 cups 175 grams all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon 15 grams granulated white sugar
• 1/2 cup 113 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup 30 - 60 ml ice water
• - Butter Tart Filling:
• 1/3 cup 70 grams unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup 210 grams light brown sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup 60 ml table cream or milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup 120 ml raisins, chopped walnuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

• - Pie Crust Pastry:
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt.
• Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas.
• Add the water and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.
• Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using.
• After the dough has chilled sufficiently, place on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough and cut into 12 - 4 inch (10 cm) rounds. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).
• Gently place the rounds into a 12-cup muffin tin.
• Cover and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm the dough.
• - Butter Tart Filling:
• In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla extract and salt. Stir in the cream.
• If using nuts and/or raisins or chocolate chips, place a spoonful in the bottom of each tart shell and then fill the unbaked tart shells with the filling.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 15 - 20 minutes or until the pastry has nicely browned and the filling is puffed and set.
• Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve at room temperature.

Adapted from Joy of Baking