The ultimate (raisins optional) butter tart recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is butter tart filling made of? ›

These buttery mini pies, typically baked in a muffin tin, have a flaky crust filled with a gooey mixture of butter, sugar, syrup, egg, and sometimes raisins or nuts. They bear some resemblance to the American pecan pie and British treacle tart, but their uniquely rich flavor sets them apart.

Butter tarts that are runny may be underbaked or may not contain enough egg. Eggs help thicken and stabilize butter tart filling while it bakes, which is why I've included two whole eggs in my recipe to ensure the filling is thick and fully set once baked.

Purists say true butter tarts should not contain raisins or nuts. For Currie and March of Wasaga Beach, Ont., they have to have raisins. Some like runny fillings, some firm. Some like thick pastry shells while others like thin so the filling stars.

The butter tart is different from pecan pie in that it has a "runnier" filling due to the omission of corn starch. Often raisins, walnuts, or pecans are added to the traditional butter tart, although the acceptability of such additions is a matter of national debate.

Fillings make pies and tarts distinctive and flavorful. Four types of fillings are common: cream, fruit, custard and chiffon.

-- To avoid "gritty" butter tarts, caramelize sugar first by blending on the stovetop with butter, syrup and vanilla. Let it cool before adding eggs to the mixture or they'll be scrambled.

White Vinegar - Some say vinegar is added to prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Others say the acidity of the vinegar helps to cut the sweetness of the tarts. Raisins - I use raisins, but you could also use nuts; pecans or walnuts are common.

To stop tarts from boiling over, line each muffin cup so that the pastry comes about 1/2″ above the tin, says Nancy Coady, owner of Betty's Pies and Tarts in Cobourg, Ont. If you use an electric mixer to combine ingredients, start on the lowest setting. Overmixing can add air to the filling, causing it to bubble.

The pastry of a tart made by using oil instead of butter will be richer and more flavoursome and will have that home-made taste that is so special, with aromas reminiscent of one's granny's comforting recipes.

No competition. You should only use golden raisins, as far as we're concerned. (And, to really make sure they're plump and flavorful, soak them in a nice vinegar before adding them to a recipe.)

What country are butter tarts from? ›

' Butter tarts were common in Canadian pioneer cooking. The earliest published recipe for a butter tart is from Barrie, Ontario dating back to 1900 in the Women's Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook.

Storage: Butter tarts will last at room temperature for at least a week. They do not need to be refrigerated however if you prefer to store them in the fridge, keep them in an airtight container. Freeze: Butter tart freeze perfectly. Let them cool completely and freeze in an airtight container.

Pies and tarts are both pastry shells, with some sort of filling. Both can be either savoury or sweet. The difference is that pies have a top crust, whereas a tart doesn't.

In the 19th century, tart was British slang for "pretty woman." Some believe it is a shortening of "sweetheart." But by the end of that century, tart described a prostitute, something many language scholars trace back to the tart that you get at the bakery.

PiesTarts – If you've ever thought a tart was pie, you're forgiven because they're incredibly similar. The main difference is that tarts only have a bottom crust, and the crust is much thicker than a pie crust.

A cream tart is a twist on a traditional cake – it features 2 layers of shortbread cookie dough and is filled with a ganache or cream cheese frosting. These desserts are fairly simple to make and a whole lot of fun to decorate!

With a gooey, just-set filling made with butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and eggs, butter tarts are hard not to love. They have comforting notes of caramel and butterscotch and are perfect when you want something small and sweet.

A: Dotting the top of a fruit pie filling with butter is an old habit but one that is called for in only about half of the pie recipes out there. Some maintain that the butter is for taste; others claim that it helps the filling set up, particularly when using flour as a thickener.

Ingredients. Pastry: Flour, Non-hydrogenated Vegetable Shortening, Eggs, Brown Sugar, Salt. Filling: Corn Syrup, Brown Sugar, Non-hydrogenated Margarine (soy), Eggs, Butter, Salt, Pure Vanilla Extract. Contains Statement: Wheat, Eggs, Soy, Dairy.