Canadian Butter Tarts

Happy Canada Day!

In this house we like to celebrate, we like to eat, and we are part Canadian. So July 1st celebrates the 1867 Constitution act. The following year it was celebrated across the country but it wasn't until 1879 that is was made a federal holiday. A little over a century later, in 1982, the name was changed to Canada Day.  

But where to start? I have several ideas of course, but which to choose? Being out of maple syrup, and corn syrup, and having these hand preformed crusts in the cabinet led me to decide butter tarts were the way to go. And that was definitely a a good call. The part Canadian children tell me so.

Similar to both American pecan pie and British treacle pie but not really either exactly. They are a sweet, gooey pie that puffs up in the oven and then sinks back down upon cooling. Some of mine I suspect sunk a little too much and yet they were still delicious. It's hard to go wrong with brown sugar and butter.

Since I was out of all syrups, maple and corn syrups but also my favorite golden syrup. So I searched for a recipe that didn't call for any of them. And I found it at Joy of Baking. Only having the one box of tart shells and since there are only six of us I decided to cut the recipe down quite a bit. Each crust looked like it held about 1 teaspoon of filling so I cut it in quarters. I was spot on too, to the drop in fact. 

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1 box small tart shells

1.5 Tbsp butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 an egg (haha, I just used 1 yolk)
splash of vanilla
pinch salt
1 Tbsp heavy cream

Pre-heat your oven to 350*

Cream the butter as best you can with such a small amount. Add in the sugar and keep trying. I found once the egg yolk was added it beat much better. Add in the vanilla, salt, and heavy cream and beat a bit more. Spoon in to the tart shells. Bake for about 15 minutes until puffed and set. Allow to cool and eat immediately.

I hear they are also good cold, I wouldn't know, they didn't last that long.