"If we are what we eat, anyone travelling the highways and back roads of Wellington North Township must be sweet and Canadian at heart.
It's hard to imagine otherwise in the land of the Butter Tart Trail, a scenic drive through the small towns and gently rolling countryside north of Guelph, where that most famous of Canadian treats is always temptingly close at hand. "
You can read more about it here and here.
I have yet to take the butter tart trail, but it is in the plans...
After all, I am Canadian!
Several years ago, our family spent some time in Muskoka, a beautiful cottage region north of Toronto. While browsing in the quaint little shops, we came across a cafe that was so inviting, we just had to stop in for a specialty coffee. We discovered a gem of a cafe and found out it was famous for butter tarts, which of course we had to try for ourselves to see what the fuss was all about. Marty, the owner of the cafe, became famous for his recipes which he had published into a cookbook. When we returned from our vacation, I was delighted to discover that we carried his cookbook at our very own library.
My blogging friend, Donna, posted these on her private blog recently. They looked so fabulous that I had to ask her for the recipe which she kindly emailed me. Although I didn't end up making her recipe with pastry as of yet, due to my busy schedule, I was inspired by all of her lovely tarts:
Hi Joanne:
Here is the recipe for butter tarts.
Sometimes I add 2 tbsps. of white vinegar to the butter tart mixture, if I don't want the tarts to be as sweet.
Butter Tarts
~ makes approximately 24 tarts.
Pastry for tart shells
1 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1/2 tsps. salt
2 large eggs ; beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine butter, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Heat on medium power in microwave until butter is melted and sugar dissolved. Do not let mixture get too hot, or it will cook the eggs. Add eggs and vanilla, and stir well. Add golden raisins to tart shells. Fill tarts shells - 3/4 full, with mixture.
Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 350°F and bake another 10 minutes.
I hope you enjoy these recipes Joanne.
Have a lovely weekend. Donna
Thank you Donna!
My Easy Version:
Butter Tarts~Recipe given to me by my friend Karen:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
few drops of lemon juice
Mix all ingredients together and beat well.
Add walnuts, raisins or pecans....your preference. Fill tart shells.
Bake at 375'F for 15-18 minutes.
Makes one dozen...so easy, so good!