Canadian Butter Tarts

As mentioned in my last blog, I plan to write about, and make pies, tarts and pastries from around the world. My first location is Canada - my home country. "A butter tart is a type of pastry best known as a Canadian treat. The English Canadian tart consists of butter, sugar and eggs in a pastry shell. " (Wikipedia) Raisins or currents are placed in a pastry shell or tart shell and the buttery syrup is then poured over to about 2/3's full.
Some bakers add nuts or chocolate chips to the syrup instead of the raisins. Butter Tarts are one of the few recipes that are considered truly Canadian in origin. "One of the earliest known Canadian recipes is from northern Ontario and dates back to 1915." (Wikipedia) Butter tarts may be served year round but are most comonly served at Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. They are also served at weddings, funerals and wedding showers.

For more informtion on Canadian Butter Tarts listen to this clip from CBC: http://archives.cbc.ca/lifestyle/food/topics/1371-8373/
Today I will share my recipe for the Butter Tart Pastry:
Butter Tart Pastry:

• 1 pound lard
• 5 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 cup very cold water

Method: Mix flour, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Cut lard into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fork. Slowly add cold water, mixing gently until the flour mix forms into a ball. Drop by tablespoons into 3" foil pan and press with your Birds Hill Tart Press. Or, if you do not have a press - roll out 1/8" thick and cut out circles and place into tart molds.

Canadian Butter Tart Recipe

This recipe has been in my family for years. Feel free to substitute the lard with shortening or butter. We have been making our pastry with lard that is rendered at a local butcher shop. This lard is soft and makes great pies. Have you ever wondered why Grandma's pies tasted the best? She probably used lard. Lard makes pie crust with a much better "feel" and the crusts are crisp and flaky. In Wikipedia it states: "Leaf lard has little pork flavor, making it ideal for use in baked goods, where it is valued for its ability to produce flaky, moist pie crusts." For my Butter Tarts I use the same pie dough recipe as I would for my apple pies.
Butter Tart Pastry:
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup lard
3 TBSP. cold water.
Mix the flour, salt and sugar together. Using a fork or pastry blender, cut in the lard until the flour looks moistened and is in fine crumbs. Lightly stir in the 3 tablespoons of water until the mixture holds together. Using your tart shell press form the dough into 12-15 3" tarts shells. If you do not have a press, roll out your dough with a rolling pin and cut into circles and place in tart pans.
Filling
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup currants or raisins.
Place approximately 1 heaping teaspoon raisins or currents into each tart shell. Beat egg in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour or spoon filling over raisins/currants filling shells apprximately 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.