Maple Bacon Butter Tarts
It’s Canada Day Eve! Which means, traditionally, I’m baking butter tarts. This year I decided to make bacon butter tarts. Maple bacon butter tarts, even.
I know, it’s been said that bacon has jumped the shark. But this makes sense – salty bacon with sweet maple syrup and brown sugar – this is a perfect fit, and oh so Canadian. I’ll be bringing a large batch to our friend’s annual Canada Day party tomorrow. If the reaction at the CBC studio this morning was any indication, they’ll go fast.
A few ways to up the bacon ante: replace some of the fat in the pastry with chilled bacon drippings, or drizzle some into the filling in place of some of the melted butter. Although I usually default to my grandma’s butter tart recipe, I decided to use the one from the Five Roses Cookbook, which I recently learned was on the shelf in 650,000 Canadian households back in 1915.
Of course, this tart is as tasty (if not as bacon-y) made with the traditional currants or raisins, chopped pecans, or nothing at all. Happy Canada Day, eh?
Bacon Butter Tarts
AuthorJulieTo make the pastry, in a large bowl stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and blend with a pastry blender, fork or your fingers (or pulse in the food processor) until well blended, with some pieces of fat the size of a pea. Drizzle in enough water to make the dough hold together - you'll likely need almost all of it. Shape the pastry into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out about 1/8-inch thin; cut into 3-inch rounds with a cutter or glass rim and fit into muffin cups. Reroll the scraps only once to get as many as possible. Preheat the oven to 375F.
To make the filling, in a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, lemon juice and salt, stirring until smooth.
Sprinkle some chopped, cooked bacon, currants, raisins or pecans into the bottom of each pastry cup and fill with the filling mixture, filling almost full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Remove from the pan while the tarts are still warm.
Ingredients
Directions
To make the pastry, in a large bowl stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and blend with a pastry blender, fork or your fingers (or pulse in the food processor) until well blended, with some pieces of fat the size of a pea. Drizzle in enough water to make the dough hold together - you'll likely need almost all of it. Shape the pastry into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out about 1/8-inch thin; cut into 3-inch rounds with a cutter or glass rim and fit into muffin cups. Reroll the scraps only once to get as many as possible. Preheat the oven to 375F.
To make the filling, in a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, lemon juice and salt, stirring until smooth.
Sprinkle some chopped, cooked bacon, currants, raisins or pecans into the bottom of each pastry cup and fill with the filling mixture, filling almost full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Remove from the pan while the tarts are still warm.
Julie – Why do you dooo this to me? These look absolutely divine, and the filling mixture, mighty heavens, these will be a winner for Canada Day for sure, and this little Scottish-based Norwegian is dying to try them! Airmail?
I hope you have a fantastic time with your friends and family 🙂 x
Looks delicious! Are bacon lovers here in the States allowed to make them?! Thanks!
Of course Grandma KC!!
So I am trying to make these tarts this morning and my dough is totally crumbly and I used the amount of water in the recipe…plus a tiny bit more but my dough just won’t stick together. What am I doing wrong with it? My husband is trying to work it together right now but that will likely just make it tough I assume?? Grrr…finding this darn dough so frustrating…any tips appreciated! Thanks…and Happy Canada Day!
Oh no Cheryl! That should be enough water.. and yeah you don’t want to overwork it, or it will become tough! Did you perhaps use too much flour? Regardless, getting a feel for how much water brings the dough together will help. It should be more than enough.. I was just looking around at other recipes to see their ratios, and Martha Stewart uses the same amount of flour and fat and only 3 Tbsp. water! Which doesn’t seem like nearly enough.. http://www.marthastewart.com/326897/basic-pastry-dough
OMG Happy Canada Day to you too!!!! These are unbelievably great! Just made 24 minis and have enough ingredients for 24 more – a little bite of can heaven. Not sure if they are appies or dessert, both really! I didn’t even wait until they cooled, they smelled so beautiful. I am taking them to a party and feel proud already!
Happy Canada Day! Way to combine all the best of your food culture in one dish. This native New Yorker is seriously tempted to defect to the North.
Happy Canada Day!
OMG – these look so yummy! I wished that I’d seen these yesterday, as I would have made them for my Canada Day BBQ. I am living in The Netherlands and I had all of my Canadian friends over and we celebrated with Maple Leaf Top Dogs (smuggled in I might add), caesars made with Motts, Old Dutch Potato Chips (Ketchup of course!) and other favourite Canadian BBQ fixings. This would have blown my red velvet with cream cheese frosting cupcakes out of the water for a desert!
Oh well, next year!
I too have the same trouble with pastry that Cheryl does. I add more liquid because where I live, it is very dry and the weather does effect how it. Just keep trying small amounts until it comes together and take note of the amount. I then write it on the recipe for future reference. Good luck !
Thanks for the answer back Julie…and Susan! The tarts ended up delicious of course…but that dough was so crumbly. Not sure if I used too much flour…I think I followed the recipe but will be extra careful next time. I am afraid that where I live is no excuse for me Susan…I live in central NW Calgary…so same area as Julie!!
OMG! This was my first time ever making butter tarts, and this recipe was amazing! They turned out perfect, and my family won’t stop raving about them. The dough was light and flaky, with such a rich sweet filling. Thank you Julie!
My fav!!! I’m not going to lie I absolutely hate making dough (although I have done it a lot before) So i usually use Tenderflake puff pastry sheets and roll it out thinner. It’s my personal preference as I don’t like the dough to thick. I’m pregnant and baby loves these! Although it is hard to get to them before my hubby does! Last time he ate 6 before the second batch was done!
Whatever works!!
Can you use frozen tart shells?
Of course!