Classic Butter Tarts
If you’re Canadian, then I’ll bet you’ve had dozens–even hundreds–of butter tarts in your life! If you’ve never happened to have one of these decadent delights, let me fill you in. A classic butter tart is a gooey, sugary, somewhat caramelly confection cupped in flaky pie pastry. It’s not unlike its American cousin, Pecan Pie. Some folks add raisins, nuts or chocolate chips to make them more sinful. Others insist you must leave them plain, or it’s not a butter tart. However you take them, walk into any bakery in rural Ontario and you are sure to see them (if there are any left!)
Where Did Butter Tarts Originate From?
Many people speculate butter tarts hailed from Quebec, the key ingredient having been maple syrup. This makes sense as Quebec is one of the maple syrup meccas of the world. Many claim butter tarts are based on a French sugar pie that was originally made with butter, cream and vanilla back in the 16th century.
It is more accepted however that the first butter tart was made in Barrie, Ontario in 1900. And aren’t we glad! If you would like to read more about the history of the butter tart, check out one of many resources by clicking HERE.
Where Did This Recipe Originate From?
This recipe for butter tarts in particular came from a book called Back Roads and Country Cooking by Sara Waxman. In it, she describes a bakeshop in Orillia, Ontario called Wilkie’s Bakery. In 1979, this recipe won a national poll that deemed Wilkie’s the ultimate butter tart, so all credit goes to them! Wilkie’s Bakery is still around today, so if you’re ever in Orillia stop by for a butter tart!
Are Butter Tarts Time Consuming to Make?
If you plan to make your own tart shells, making butter tarts will be a little bit time consuming. That is because the pastry needs to rest 2 times: once when the dough is made and a second time when the shells are cut out and in the pan.
You can cut the time down to a fraction if you use ready made tart shells. Not only do you not need to let any pastry rest, you also don’t need to roll and cut shells. Therefore, butter tarts take about 10 minutes (not including baking time) with ready made shells.
How Can I Prevent Over Flowing During Baking?
If you’ve made butter tarts before, maybe you’ve experienced the frustration of your filling bubbling all over the place. Then you end up with dry, empty tarts and a pan that will take a week to clean. One way you can prevent this from happening is not filling the shells too much. You should have at least a quarter inch of head space from the top rim of each shell. Less is even better, though there is a fine line between too little and too much. The only way to get good at this is to bake lots of tarts!
Another reason why butter tarts can overflow is if they bake at too high a temperature for too long. Many recipes call for this though. Therefore, they naturally bubble at around the 10 minute mark and often spill over. In this recipe, you reduce the heat 10 minutes into baking (unless you are making mini tarts). This minimizes the amount of bubbling significantly, keeping the tarts nice and full yet cooked.
One last possible reason butter tarts spill over during baking is overmixing of the filling. Whipping too much air in the mixture creates more volume which might encourage expansion. This reason however is less likely a cause for overflowing than the previously mentioned.
How Do I Make Runny or Less Runny Tarts?
Runny or not runny? It’s a question every butter tart eating Canadian simply must know! Fortunately with this recipe you have a choice. For runnier butter tarts, let them cook for an additional 10-12 minutes after you reduce the heat (for a total time of 20-22 minutes).
For less runny tarts, allow them to cook for an additional 12-15 minutes after reducing the heat (total time 25 minutes). Depending on your oven, it could take even a few minutes longer if you like them quite firm.
How Do I Make Mini Tarts?
To make mini versions of these butter tarts (24 small), you do not need to reduce the heat during baking. Bake them the entire way at 400F/204C for about 15-18 minutes.
How Do I Store Butter Tarts?
You can keep butter tarts at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you store them in an airtight container, they will last in the fridge for up to one week.
Can I Freeze Butter Tarts?
Yes you can. Wrap them well in a layer of plastic and put them in an airtight container. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips for Making the Best Butter Tarts
- Allow pastry to rest in the tart tins before filling and baking. If making your own pie dough for the tart shells, let them rest (covered in the fridge) for at least 1 hour. Pie dough tends to retract slowly after it’s been rolled and lined in the pie plate/mold. This sometimes results in a shrinking crust as it bakes. After a good rest, the crust remains more stable.
- Don’t roll the pastry too thick. Even though these butter tarts bake at a high temperature, it’s easy to end up with undercooked pastry if you roll it too thickly. For perfect results, roll the dough to about a quarter inch thickness or even less before cutting and lining the tins.
- Prick the raw tart shells all over with a fork before filling. If you don’t, air bubbles can form in the pastry while it bakes, causing it to puff up and lose all the filling.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It’s important to cream the ingredients together well so the mixture turns out consistently smooth. If you have chunks of cold, unmixed butter floating in your tarts, they will show up as big white spots after baking.
- Don’t over mix the filling ingredients. Doing so can result in too much air and your filling can spill over excessively while your tarts bake. Mix together just until everything is smooth and no more.
- Lower the temperature about halfway through baking. Allowing the butter tarts to bake at a high temperature the entire way also results in over spilling. Lowering the temperature gives them a chance to bake fully without over bubbling. (This does not apply to mini tarts.)
- Tap the pan slightly to read the “jiggle.” When you think your tarts might be done baking, tap the pan lightly. If the filling is loose and jiggles a lot, they will turn out more runny. If they are only slightly jiggly and mostly don’t move, your tarts will be more firm.
I hope you’ll give these Classic Butter Tarts a try like a true Canuck! If you do, please rate the recipe and leave a comment on how it worked out for you, eh!
Classic Butter Tarts
Ingredients
- 12 unbaked tart shells, large sized 24 for mini tarts
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ cup Add-ins of your choice (raisins, nuts, chocolate chips) optional
Instructions
- If making your own pastry, roll out dough to a little less than ¼ inch thickness. Cut out circles using a 5 inch cutter (or appropriate size for the tarts you are making). Line tins with pastry and prick each one well with a fork. Cover with plastic and allow shells to rest in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. If using frozen shells, thaw enough to prick them with a fork, then cover and refrigerate as per the previous option.
- Preheat oven to 400℉/204℃. In a medium bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add corn syrup, vanilla and salt. Mix well until smooth. Add beaten eggs and stir well.
- If using add-ins, place a few at the bottom of each tart shell. Pour the filling into each shell, leaving at least ¼ inch of head space at the top. The filling rises and bubbles a little bit, so do not make them too full. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350℉/177℃ and bake another 10-12 minutes for a runnier butter tart. For a less runny tart bake another 12-15 minutes. (See notes below for mini tarts.)
- Allow the tarts to rest in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before removing. To take them out, slip a knife down the side of each tart and pry out of their forms. Cool completely before serving and/or storing.