Ooey, gooey, sweet, sexy
The country’s aptly named butter tart is quintessentially Canadian
The country is planning one of the biggest birthday bashes in its history — Canada 150. During such nationalistic pride we celebrate all things Canadian, including our food.
If there is one food that establishes our national identity, I’d have to say it’s the butter tart! It’s certainly part of our heritage and as Canadian as you can get. With just a handful of ingredients you get what many call one of this country’s most quintessential desserts. It’s ooey and gooey, sweet and sexy.
Runny or firm, plain or with raisins or currents, butter or — dare I say it? — lard-based crust, when you think of a defining Canadian staple, it has to be this darling.
There are many theories about the butter tart’s origins, but the Collins English Dictionary notes it’s “one of the few pastries with a genuinely Canadian origin.”
According to Thecanadianencyclopedia.ca, “the first published recipe came in 1900 with The Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook. However, the origin is believed to be much older, most likely the result of the filles du roi (King’s Daughters), in which approximately 800 young women were sent to Québec from France between 1663 and 1673 to help colonize.
“These young ladies brought with them their traditional European recipes but were forced to adapt them according to what was available. The sugar pie, a single-crust pie with a filling made from flour, butter, salt, vanilla, and cream, is a likely precursor to the butter tart.”
There are those who say the Scots should lay claim to the tart’s identity, given they create a similar treat.
So romantic, our sweet butter tart. Poems have been penned and thousands of words have been written paying homage to this classic dessert. Festivals have been created, tours arranged and trails organized, all in honour of this great treat that is painstaking to make, yet devoured in minutes.
So quintessentially Canadian, eh?
Butter Tart Liqueur
The best cocktail recipe that pays tribute to this treat. “Butter tart would make a lovely flavour for a liqueur or cocktail,” said author Marie Porter of Celebrationgeneration.com. 1 cup (250 mL) dark raisins 2 vanilla beans 3 cups (750 mL) good quality vodka
21/2 cups (625 mL) brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup (125 mL) maple syrup 1/2 cup (125 mL) water
Place raisins in a large, clean jar. Slice vanilla beans lengthwise, scoop seeds out. Add beans and seeds to jar, top with vodka, and shake well. Store in a cool, dark place for about 4-7 days, shaking daily.
After a few days, taste. If flavour is good and strong, strain out raisins and vanilla, discard.* If you want more flavour, allow it to sit for another week or so, shaking daily.
Combine brown sugar, maple syrup, and water in a pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat, allow to cool.
Combine infused vodka with maple-brown sugar syrup, stirring or shaking well to combine. Bottle in clean wine or liqueur bottles.
After bottling, you should let it age for about a week in a cool place before drinking it. Aging results in a smoother, more mellow flavour.
* Saving a few vodka raisins to place in the liqueur bottle makes for a cute presentation idea.
Best Butter Tarts
This is one of our all-time favourite recipes from one of our all-time favourite foodies — the one and only Elizabeth Baird, award-winning cookbook author and member of the Order of Canada. If anyone knows Canadian cuisine, it’s Baird!
In this recipe, Baird says to feel free to replace the walnuts and/or raisins with the add-ins you like — currants, pecans or chocolate, for example, or leave them out for a plain tart.
Makes: 20 tarts Filling 1 cup (250 mL) packed light brown sugar 1 cup (250 mL) corn syrup 1/3 cup (80 mL) butter, cubed 2 large eggs at room temperature 3/4 cup (180 mL) chopped walnut halves 1/2 cup (250 mL) raisins 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) vanilla 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt Pastry 3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt 1/2 cup (125 mL) cold butter, cubed 1/2 cup (125 mL) cold lard, cubed (or replace with additional butter) 1 large egg 2 tsp (10 mL) vinegar Ice water
Pastry: In large bowl, whisk flour with salt. With pastry blender, cut in butter and lard until mixture is crumbly, sprinkled with some larger pieces. In liquid measuring cup, whisk egg with vinegar. Add enough ice water to make 2/3 cup (160 mL).
Gradually sprinkle egg mixture over flour mixture, all while stirring briskly with fork until pastry clumps and holds together. If there are floury bits lurking in bottom of bowl, add a splash more ice water to incorporate into ragged dough.
With floured hands, firmly press dough together; divide in half. Press each half into disc about 1-inch (2.5cm), thick. Wrap each half and chill for 1 hour or up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature until pliable enough to roll out.
Filling: Meanwhile, in saucepan, bring sugar and syrup to gentle simmer, stirring just to blend. Simmer gently for 3 minutes; let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in butter; let cool to room temperature.
In medium bowl, beat eggs with vanilla and salt; pour butter mixture slowly over egg mixture, stirring continuously. Set aside.
On floured pastry cloth or counter, roll out half of the dough at a time to 1/8-inch (3-mm) thickness. Using 4-inch (10-cm) round cookie cutter (or bottom of empty 28 oz/796 mL) can), cut out 20 rounds. (Save any leftover dough for another purpose.)
Fit pastry rounds into regular muffin cups. Divide walnuts and raisins among pastry shells. Spoon in filling until shells are about three-quarters full. Bake in bottom third of preheated 400 F (205 C), oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F (175 C), and bake until pastry is golden and filling bubbling, about 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and let firm up for 3 minutes in pans. With a rounded blade of table knife or small off-set spatula, run around each tart to loosen. Lift tarts out onto rack to cool. If tart feels too fragile to move, let it set a few minutes more. Be sure to loosen any tarts with filling bubbled over the edges before the filling hardens.