Knotty Pine Butter Tarts

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knotty Pine Butter Tarts

One of my first priorities with the Knotty Pine was to get Waterloo up and running. Wes and Debbi Moore along with Jim Jaques. Great team. The restaurant was one of the most stunning in Waterloo looking out over the undeveloped Willow Wells property. In my estimation Debbi made the best butter tarts at both Preston and Waterloo. She had her way with these flaky, sugary tarts dotted with plump sultanna’s. Debbi and Wes later opened their own restaurant in St Jacobs. Butter and Maple Butte Tarts still are one of my favourite Knotty Pine sweets.

Here is that recipe broken down for home use.

Ingredients for pastry;

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup cold butter, cubed

1/4 cup lard , cubed

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vinegar

Ice water

Filling;

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1 egg

2 tbsp butter ,

softened

1 tsp real vanilla extract

1 tsp vinegar

1 pinch salt

1/4 cup sultanna raisins
Preparation In large bowl, whisk flour with salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter and lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces. In liquid measure, whisk egg yolk with vinegar; add enough ice water to make 1/3 cup [Important]Sprinkle over flour mixture, stirring briskly with fork until pastry holds together.

Press into disc shape and wrap in plastic, refrigerate about 1 hour.

Filling;

In bowl, whisk brown sugar, corn syrup, egg, butter, vanilla, vinegar and salt until well blended; set aside.

On floured surface, roll out pastry to 1/8-inch thickness.

Using 4-inch  cookie cutter or empty 28 oz can, cut out dozen circles. Fit into 2-3/4- x 1-1/4-inch  muffin cups.

Divide equal amounts of raisins among shells and spoon in filling until three-quarters full.

Bake in preheated 450 F oven on the lowest shelf until filling bubbly and pastry is golden. About 15 minutes.

Let stand 1 minute.

Carefully slide spatula under tarts and transfer to rack to let cool.

Now let there be Butter Tarts!

theKitchenman.ca