Butter Tartsthe Best Of The Best Food

THE BEST BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Sift dry ingredients together.
• With a pastry cutter, blend in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add the ice water gradually until dough forms.
• Pat dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Roll the dough 1/4-inch thick.
• With a cookie cutter, cut out ten 3 1/2-inch circles.
• Press the circles into 10 cups of a muffin tin.
• Put the muffin tin in the freezer for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the freezer, place pieces of tin foil in each shell and fill with pie weights.
• Bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove foil and pie weights and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, until pastry is golden and set.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• In a medium bowl, lightly beat together the egg, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla and salt.
• Divide the raisins among the shells.
• Divide the mixture among the shells and bake until set, about 15 minutes.
• Let cool 5 minutes.
• Remove tarts from pan and cool on a wire rack.

AWARD-WINNING BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Prepare muffin pans by rolling out pie dough and cutting 4-inch (approx) circles; fit dough circles into muffin cups; set aside in fridge until ready to fill.
• In a small bowl, place raisins and cover with hot tap water; let stand on the counter for 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix together the soft butter, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup; stir well until sugar is dissolved and butter is creamed.
• Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
• Drain raisins.
• Retrieve tart shells and divide raisins equally into all shells; then divide butter mixture into all tarts.
• Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes; filling will be lightly browned but still bubbling.
• Canadians fall into two camps about butter tarts and are quite loyal to their favourite type: runny or firm.
• I like runny-- the type that dribbles when you bite into one; if you like firm, bake them for the full 20 minutes, even adding another minute or two if you wish.
• Let cooked butter tarts cool in pans for 10 minutes after removing from oven; then remove and place on racks until completely cool.