Maple Butter Tarts

One of my favourite things growing up in Canada were butter tarts.  I think it must be a Canadian thing because I don't see them down here in the US.  My dad would take my siblings and me to visit our local bakery in Erin Ontario, which was the closest town to our village, on Saturday mornings for a butter tart each.  This old bakery - Holtom's - is still in operation today.  My siblings (and me too) still scour the Ontario countryside looking for the best butter tarts we can find.

I've take a classic butter tart recipe and added a maple twist, of course, to my version.  I think this maple addition is way better.  Try this recipe and let me know what you think.

 

Maple Butter Tarts

Ingredients:

DOUGH:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/3 cup cold butter, cubed (you can also use lard)

1 egg yolk

1 tsp white vinegar

1/4 cup ice water

FILLING:

3/4 cup maple sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 eggs

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp white vinegar

1/8 tsp salt

Maple Flakes or Maple Cube - optional

Directions:

1. Whirl flour and salt in a food processor. Add butter. Pulse until coarse crumbs form. Whisk yolk, vinegar and ice water in a small bowl.  With motor running, pour through feed tube while pulsing until just combined.  Wrap with plastic wrap and press into a disc.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Position rack in bottom of oven. Preheat oven to 450F.

3. Whisk maple sugar and maple syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla, vinegar and salt in a bowl until smooth.

4. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into 12 rounds using a 4 1/2-in. round cookie cutter, re-rolling scraps. Gently press rounds into a 12-cup muffin pan. Press sides to adhere. Refrigerate for 20 min. Spoon 2 tbsp filling into each pastry.

5. Bake for 8 min. Reduce to 400F and open oven slightly for 10 sec. Bake until filling is puffed and pastry is golden, about 7 more min.  Let stand on rack for 3 min. Run a small knife around the edges of tarts and transfer to rack to cool completely.

6. For some added maple flavour and texture...sprinkle maple flakes or grate a maple cube over top.

Enjoy!

 

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