Grandma Woodall’s Butter Tarts
I’ve been a bit of a total blubbering mess today. I was a wreck from the time the alarm went off at 6 (to make empanadas, dontcha know), having been up well after midnight watching Naheed Nenshi (whom I went to Junior High school with) win the mayoral race. Sniff.
But wait, it gets better. A couple hours later I got to bring afterparty treats for the citizenship ceremony at the CBC building, which welcomed 40 new Canadians of all ages from 16 different countries. There were mounties and families and kids dressed up with shiny patent shoes waving Canadian flags, but the bagpipes undid me. I think I was the cryingest person in the room.
So – what to make for such an occasion? I decided on maple walnut white chocolate chunk cookies, date squares, Nanaimo bars, maple syrup tarts and my Grandma’s butter tarts – you can’t get much more Canadian than that, can you?
Grandma Woodall’s Butter Tarts
AuthorJulie
Preheat oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out 1/4" thick. Cut out circles using a 4" cookie cutter or empty can, and press into ungreased muffin cups.
In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, syrup, egg, butter and vanilla. Stir in the currants and pecans, if you're using them. Fill the tart shells about 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Take them out of the pan using a thin knife to coax them out while they are still warm, otherwise any goo that has bubbled over will stick to the pan as it cools. If it does, pop them back in the oven for a minute to soften it again. Cool on a wire rack.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out 1/4" thick. Cut out circles using a 4" cookie cutter or empty can, and press into ungreased muffin cups.
In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, syrup, egg, butter and vanilla. Stir in the currants and pecans, if you're using them. Fill the tart shells about 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Take them out of the pan using a thin knife to coax them out while they are still warm, otherwise any goo that has bubbled over will stick to the pan as it cools. If it does, pop them back in the oven for a minute to soften it again. Cool on a wire rack.
That is so awesome that you took treats for the new Canadians. You never know…you might get to bring treats to my ceremony one day.
I was so happy that Naheed Nenshi won. I can’t vote but I tried to influence anyone I knew that could. I watched the returns last night with way more interest than I ever thought possible.
Thank you so much for sharing the pastry and the recipe for butter tarts….hmmmm love butter tarts :p
In your maple syrup tarts, can I replace the brown sugar by maple sugar…I ask since maple sugar is very moist, and I’m wondering if this will affect the recipe?
I will be trying these out for Xmas for sure!
By the way, you candy apples (recipe) were a hit at our open house on the weekend…I had 55 and at the end of the weekend I only had 10 left 🙂
Manon – maple sugar should work just fine! I have some, but it’s dry and powdery – should it be moist, like brown sugar?
you just make my day with your descriptions of events. 😀
I love that you gave Naheed Nenshi cherpumple to kick off his stint at mayor. Maybe it’ll make up for the fact that this particular supporter didn’t get to cast a vote in his favour – apparently if you become housebound the weekend before election day, that’s too late for them to come help you cast a ballot. Boo.
I LOVE that you brought treats to new Canadians. I would love to be at one of those ceremonies. And I would be bawling the whole time, too.
I love knowing that you fed Naheed some cherpumple, along with a big hug. Yay Calgary!
When my aunt died, the recipe for her absolutely wonderful butter tarts went with her. I think they had honey in them. I am so sorry I never learned how to make them – I’ll give these a try. Thanks Julie.
What a wonderful day you had! My kids go bananas for butter tarts and we never make them (the shame). I think we should give them a go this weekend. Thanks for sharing your Grandma’s recipe!
If you find lovely little tarts kind of time consuming and fiddly except for special occasions, like I do, I suggest look for recipes for butter tart squares. Maybe even here. They’re quick, one pan, and taste pretty much the same.
I had pondered the square version, but figured this was as special an occasion as any! Although delicious, they just aren’t really butter tarts in square form. In this case, I wanted to make my grandma’s recipe for them.
I love that you made your grandmother’s. That’s what I like about your style: real, acknowledging the role of your foremothers and their kitchens.
My Saskatchewan Co-op cookbook 1946 mentions the vinegar pastry, and has two recipes for butter tarts one using maple syrup.
I’ve been to many citizenship courts. Everyone should go at least once even if they’re not serving butter tarts. You come out so proud to be Canadian. So filled with enthusiasm. All in all, it must have been a great day in Calgary yesterday.
You had me at butter and then you had me again at tart.
I want to make these now.
Happy day to you!
Love butter tarts!!!
Some news……I just got back from Homesense in Sunridge. They have a decent selection of Le Creuset pots!!! Different sizes and colours. Mine was $169.99 for a $325.00 one.
Love a bargain too.
I also bawled and my dad’s citizenship ceremony. I can’t put my finger on what it is exactly, but I know exactly how you feel. Something just comes over you!
Naheed Nenshi, citizenship ceremonies, Oh Canada!!
Thanks for the tart recipe – they look divine!
I heard him speaking about the cherpumple on x929 that morning, that’s so cool that you were the one to make it. I’m so glad he won, I think Calgarians made the right choice.
I always cry when I hear bagpipes! I have no idea why!
Julie, it depends, the batch I recently made of maple sugar is moist like brown sugar as we made it when it was humid out…but I have other batches that are dry and powdery…so all good 🙂
You know I look forward in reading your blog every day, you are fun to read, thanks for sharing your time with us all, I know how time flies!
MFO
Is the recipe for the cookies on the website. They sound so yummy!
julie how did you get the maple in your maple walnut white chocolate cookies? maple syrup or maple extract instead of vanilla extract?
Robyn – a little bit of both. Unfortunately once baked, maple syrup doesn’t make for mapley-flavoured cookies! Maple extract adds more punch.
Shobha – I haven’t added it yet – I think I will!
Julie
Pass on my thanks to your grandma….I made my husband’s favorite dessert (butter tarts) for valentines day and it was a Big hit!!!
They were beautiful and Just the right amount of soft and chewy!
Judy
It seems difficult to get personal loan with such condition but it is not completely impossible.
I guess maybe its because you end up still paying them the
full amount and some interest. As stated above, the FTC also warns about debt arbitration companies.
When some one searches for his required thing, thus he/she wishes to be available
that in detail, so that thing is maintained over here.
Here is my web blog :: Motivational Quotes
I’ve read some excellent stuff here. Certainly value bookmarking for revisiting.
I wonder how a lot effort you put to make any such great informative web site.
Here is my blog Maritime Flagging Consultants
Hello, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your blog in Ie, it looks fine but
when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping.
I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, amazing blog!
Thanks so much for this recipe, my kids absolutely love them!