Canadian Butter Tarts

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the Oven

   1 min

   Set your oven to preheat at 170°C for fan ovens or 190°C for conventional ovens, which is about gas mark 5. This ensures that the tarts bake evenly and develop a nice golden color.

2. 2

   Roll Out the Pastry

   5 min

   On a surface dusted with flour, roll the shortcrust pastry to a thickness slightly less than its original state. Use a 7.5 cm fluted cutter to cut out 18-20 rounds, re-rolling any scraps as necessary to maximize your pastry usage.

3. 3

   Line the Tart Tins

   3 min

   Carefully place the pastry rounds into two deep 12-hole tart tins, pressing them gently into the corners. If you only have a standard tart tin, you can also make a few shallower tarts to accommodate the pastry.

4. 4

   Mix Filling Ingredients

   3 min

   In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, muscovado sugar, raisins, vanilla extract, butter, and single cream. Whisk these ingredients together until well combined, but remember to set aside the walnuts for later incorporation.

5. 5

   Heat the Mixture

   5 min

   Pour the combined mixture into a saucepan and place it over low heat. Stir continuously for 3-4 minutes until the butter is fully melted and the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, ensuring it coats the back of a wooden spoon without cooking too long.

6. 6

   Add the Walnuts

   1 min

   Once the mixture has thickened, remove the saucepan from the heat and fold in the walnuts gently. This addition will provide a delightful crunch to your tarts.

7. 7

   Fill the Tart Shells

   3 min

   Carefully ladle the prepared filling into the unbaked tart shells, filling them until just reaching the edge of the pastry. Take care not to overfill to prevent spilling during baking.

8. 8

   Bake the Tarts

   25 min

   Place the filled tart tins in the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. The filling should be set and lightly golden on top, indicating they are perfectly baked.

9. 9

   Cool the Tarts

   2 min

   Once baked, allow the tarts to cool in the tins for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack. They can be enjoyed warm or allowed to cool completely for serving later.