Butter Tarts

[KevV]

But butter tarts never have that much raisins in them, and so it would be going too far to call them 'raisin tarts.' But then, do they have that much butter in them? My g-mother would often bake butter cookies, whose main flavour component seemed to be butter... But in this case, why 'butter tarts'? Jeez!

[Marlene]

Bernaise's recipe doesn't use much butter, but most tarts do. A lot of the recipes I've seen call for at least a half cup of butter.

[KevV]

A lot of the recipes I've seen call for at least a half cup of butter.

Phhffaah! Half a cup? Negligible.

... But moving over to the tarte au sucre - butter tart tangent - don't tartes au sucre contain maple syrup? If so, that would distinguish them from the bts. Also the lack of raisins, as was pointed out.

And are butter tarts supposed to be so 'Canadian' that they are Canada-wide? Are they enjoyed in BC and Newfoundland? I'm asking because I don't know, so maybe someone could fill us in. I'm only from Ontario, you see. However, I'll tell you this: my wife is from Quebec and earlier asked me, 'What's a butter tart?' To which I replied, 'It's supposed to be a Canadian thing.' To which she replied, 'Oh.' ... They're not part of the country there, are they?

[barolo]

And are butter tarts supposed to be so 'Canadian' that they are Canada-wide?  Are they enjoyed in BC and Newfoundland?  I'm asking because I don't know, so maybe someone could fill us in.  I'm only from Ontario, you see.  However, I'll tell you this: my wife is from Quebec and earlier asked me, 'What's a butter tart?'  To which I replied, 'It's supposed to be a Canadian thing.'  To which she replied, 'Oh.' ... They're not part of the country there, are they?

←

Yes, they are enjoyed in BC and the Prairies.

[StevenC]

I became addicted to butter tarts during a stay in Edmonton exactly ten years ago this month (wow, I'm getting old). Now I need to make them myself to get a regular fix. This may be heresy, but I add a pinch of cocoa to the filling for an extra richness and a bitter counterpoint.

[philadining]

So I guess this wasn't a proper butter tart, because of the pecans?

No matter, it was rocking good.... (from the guy at the bottom of the stairs in the SLM)

[Pam R]

looks delicious. but it's a pecan tart

[philadining]

It was labeled as a "Pecan Butter Tart" but I suspected it wouldn't quite meet the criteria for the traditional definition!

[jenc]

I have a friend's recipe that called for Maple Syrup - but I see someone mentioned it's actually Tarte au Sucre?

Otherwise, I'm partial to fewer rasins, but when I get a butter tart, I expect some to be there!

But I do like Pecans in mine. And sometimes chocolate, but usually not.

However, I enjoy mine runnier, otherwise, I'm left with the feeling that it's more of a pecan-pie type filling...

[skunkbunny]

I have a friend's recipe that called for Maple Syrup - but I see someone mentioned it's actually Tarte au Sucre?

←

Butter tarts: definitely with currants, not runny and better the next day when they've gooed up the pastry a bit. Definitely lard in the pastry (lard should be everywhere). Good point about the salt in pastry too.

What about chopped walnuts? Not a lot and in small pieces, the size of the currants.

Tarte au Sucre doesn't have sirop d'erable in it just brown sugar. If it's made with maple syrup then it's a Tarte au Sirop.... mmmm maple syrup.... that said butter tarts are really good if you use half brown sugar and half Grade C maple syrup. But they're probably not butter tarts by then.

[Worldly]

Soak half your raisins in spiced rum first, the other half in water.

[demiglace]

A friend of mine has lost her mothers butter tart recipe and is trying to recreate them. She remembers the recipe used only white sugar. The recipes I've found all have brown sugar or both brown and white..can anyone help? Thanks.

[Kerry Beal]

The controversy continues!

[JohnT]

On 18 May 2006 at 4:23 AM, Kerry Beal said:

Raisins of course. And the pastry has to be made with lard.

I recall a letter I got from my mother one summer when they had been away sailing for a couple of months and she sent me a recipe for 'Canuck lll Butter Tarts' where she had added hard margarine in place of the butter in her usual butter tart recipe. They tasted the same and they didn't spill over.

There is another of my mothers recipes that use hard margarine and actually tastes better for it (and I am a die hard butter fan) and that is her date squares. But it has to be the hard stuff, not the margarine in the plastic containers.

Anyway here is the recipe for my mom's butter tart filling.

 

@Kerry Beal that article is so funny! Above is your post from May 2006 where you have a link to your mothers recipe. It goes nowhere! Mind posting the recipe?

[Kerry Beal]

1 minute ago, JohnT said:

 

@Kerry Beal that article is so funny! Above is your post from May 2006 where you have a link to your mothers recipe. It goes nowhere! Mind posting the recipe?

Butter Tarts

2 tbsp butter or hard margarine 1 tsp vinegar 1 egg 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup raisins vanilla Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

[JohnT]

Thanks for the recipe Kerry. I made a very large batch of pâté sucrée this afternoon and it is resting overnight. I am experimenting with a couple tarts (pies) tomorrow and will do a small batch of your mothers recipe. I am presuming the recipe will make at least 6 medium muffin tin size tartlets? Seeing I have never heard of a butter tart before, this is going to be a bit touch-and-go making them. John.

[Kerry Beal]

31 minutes ago, JohnT said:

Thanks for the recipe Kerry. I made a very large batch of pâté sucrée this afternoon and it is resting overnight. I am experimenting with a couple tarts (pies) tomorrow and will do a small batch of your mothers recipe. I am presuming the recipe will make at least 6 medium muffin tin size tartlets? Seeing I have never heard of a butter tart before, this is going to be a bit touch-and-go making them. John.

At least - I suspect with a cup of sugar it might even make a dozen.

[chromedome]

5 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

The controversy continues!

I saw that this morning.

 

Personally I'm in the pro-raisin camp, but have had to reconcile myself to barren, raisin-deprived butter tarts for the sake of peace in the family. 

[chromedome]

4 hours ago, JohnT said:

Thanks for the recipe Kerry. I made a very large batch of pâté sucrée this afternoon and it is resting overnight. I am experimenting with a couple tarts (pies) tomorrow and will do a small batch of your mothers recipe. I am presuming the recipe will make at least 6 medium muffin tin size tartlets? Seeing I have never heard of a butter tart before, this is going to be a bit touch-and-go making them. John.

Muffin-pan tartlets are the default for home bakers. Individual shells in foil tartlet pans is the commonest "take" commercially, from what I've seen. 

[Beebs]

Must have raisins. Preferably the little currant raisins.

 

None of that pecan-chocolate-cranberry rubbish.

 

My concession to butter tart purity is butter tart squares.  I like the squares because I don't have to deal with making all those little tart shells.

[Anna N]

36 minutes ago, Beebs said:

Must have raisins. Preferably the little currant raisins.

 

None of that pecan-chocolate-cranberry rubbish.

 

My concession to butter tart purity is butter tart squares.  I like the squares because I don't have to deal with making all those little tart shells.

I almost made some squares today.  I like them because they have a greater filling to crust ratio!  

[Beebs]

@Anna N  Yes! I like the middle squares - gooey, quivery deliciousness.  DH likes the edge parts.  That is probably why we are still together.

[Tri2Cook]

If the raisins are a requirement for it to be a butter tart, I'll stick with whatever you call them when they contain pecans or walnuts instead. I've done them with cashews too. Anything to displace the raisins...

[Anna N]

8 minutes ago, Tri2Cook said:

If the raisins are a requirement for it to be a butter tart, I'll stick with whatever you call them when they contain pecans or walnuts instead. I've done them with cashews too. Anything to displace the raisins...

Without raisins they are an abomination. I will happily take your raisins and you can have my brownies. 

[Tri2Cook]

45 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Without raisins they are an abomination. I will happily take your raisins and you can have my brownies. 

Deal. Abominations and brownies sounds like a good way to help a cup of coffee or glass of milk down.