Got a sweet tooth? If so, I know I shouldn’t encourage you. Sugar is bad for you. No ifs, ands, or buts. But sometimes, you want to live dangerously. You want something sinful. These are that something. This is a traditional recipe for Butter Tarts. I won’t lie, they aren’t healthy. They are pure evil.

Butter Tarts

Butter Tart – side view

Butter Tarts

Yield: 12 medium

Ingredients:

• Shortcrust Pastry – enough to line the 12 cups in a medium muffin tin.

Wicked Good Filling:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup* (either light or dark for US bakers, the standard one in Canada is golden in colour),
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup soft butter (salted)
• 1/2 cup raisins or currants
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp of cider vinegar (optional)

Method:

1. The tarts are baked in standard 12 unit muffin pans lined with shortcrust pastry, rolled slightly thicker than you would for a pie.
2. Cut out circles using a saucer or other 5″ round item as a guide.
3. Spray the muffin tin lightly with vegetable spray to facilitate removal.
4. Fit the circles into the muffin cups.
5. Fill the tart shells with the wicked good filling. Do your best to distribute the raisins and nuts equally*
6. Bake at 400F for 14 to 18 mins. I prefer them just barely set, some people prefer them firmer – if you do, bake them longer.
7. Cool in the pan on a rack. Then carefully remove.

No worry about storage – they won’t last long**. We won’t discuss calories.

* When I make this I don’t actually mix the raisins (and nuts if I am using them) into the liquid – I divide them evenly into the 12 tarts and then pour the liquid mixture in.

**Should you not be able to eat them all within a couple of days you should freeze them. Just wrap individually in plastic wrap and pop in the freezer. Fifty bucks says you’ll be gnawing at them frozen before too long.