Date Butter Tart Food

DATE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a small food processor, blend the coconut oil or butter, dates (we used medjool), maple syrup, cinnamon and salt. Chill until needed, will keep for up to a week.

DATE BUTTER TART WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Line a tart pan with the pâte sucrée, according to page 196. Prick the bottom with a fork, and line it with a few coffee filters opened out, or a piece of parchment paper. Fill the lined tart shell with beans or pie weights, and bake 15 minutes, until set. Take the tart out of the oven, and gently lift out the paper and beans. Return the tart to the oven and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is an even golden brown. Set aside on a rack to cool completely.
• Make a vertical slit in each date, and carefully remove the pit. Use your fingers to press the dates back into their natural shape. Place the dates, slit side down, in concentric circles in the tart shell, leaving 1/2 inch between each.
• Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and use a paring knife to scrape the seeds and pulp onto the butter. To make sure not to lose any of the seeds, run your vanilla-coated knife through the butter. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the vanilla-streaked butter and the vanilla pod to the pan, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the butter browns and smells nutty. Discard the vanilla pod.
• Whisk the eggs and 2/3 cup sugar together in a bowl. Whisk in the flour and salt, and stir in the warm butter to incorporate.
• Pour the batter over the dates in the tart shell. Sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake 30 minutes, until the filling puffs up, browns, and is set.
• Cool the tart at least 20 minutes, then cut the tart into wedges and serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream.
• Note
• This tart is equally delicious served warm or cold.

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.

CAPE BRETON DATE TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Sift together flour and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in 1 cup butter; knead until well blended. Form dough into 3/4 inch balls. Press evenly into 1 1/2 inch tart molds, pressing up the sides to form a shell. Bake in preheated oven until pale gold, about 16 minutes. Let shells cool in the pan. Gently loosen and remove them from pan using a knife.
• Combine dates, orange juice, water, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Mash dates with a fork as they cook. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow mixture to cool before spooning into tart shells.
• Cream 1/4 cup butter in a small bowl with an electric mixer. Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar while continuing to mix. Add the milk, remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar, and maple extract. Beat at high speed until smooth. Icing should be thick enough to pipe. Spoon mixture into pastry bag with a small round or star-shaped tip. Pipe a swirl of icing on each tart.

CANADIAN BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Prepare and refrigerate the pie dough.
• Roll the dough as you would for most pies, about ⅛-inch thick or a tad thinner. Don't worry about keeping it nice and round like you normally would.
• Using a 4-inch-diameter cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the dough into as many circles as possible. Line each cup of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with one of the circles, gently nudging it down into the bottom creases of the pan. Try not to stretch the dough as you work; it can help to use something blunt, like a narrow jar, to nudge the dough. The top edge of the dough circle should come to about the middle of the cup. Gather the scraps and reroll the dough if you need additional ­circles. Chill the pan in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Adjust one oven rack so it is in the lower position, and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Combine the sugar, maple syrup, and butter in a mixing bowl. Whisk briefly. Add the egg, vinegar, vanilla, and salt, and whisk again.
• Set the muffin pan on your work surface. If you're using the fruit or nuts, put a few pieces in as many of the shells as you wish, but don't crowd them. Use a ladle or ¼-cup measuring cup with a handle to divide the filling evenly between the shells.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the filling bubbles and darkens somewhat.
• Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then carefully run a butter knife around the edge to loosen each tart. Let the tarts cool in the pan, then remove. Store, refrigerated, in a single layer in a covered tin or container, but let them come to room temperature before serving.