tasty tuesday: butter tarts

Today we're talking about butter tarts!  I know a lot of people (including my family) like to bake things that are either a bit finicky, or slightly more expensive as a treat around Christmas.  These tarts are perfect for family get-togethers, Christmas parties...or, let's be honest here, just because.

This dessert actually originated in Canada, and is a great combo of flaky pastry, and delicious caramely goodness!  For those of you who aren't huge raisin fans (cough cough, that's me)...you can always make them without, or keep some of the filling separate before adding them in.

Butter Tarts

Ingredients:

1 cup Raisins

2 Eggs

1 cup Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

1/3 cup Butter

4 TBSP Cream (or half and half)

1/2 cup chopped Walnuts (or pecans make a nice substitution here as well!)

frozen tart shells (or your own homemade pastry shells)

Directions:

1)  First, soak your raisins in a bit of warm water before you start (this will help them stay plum and moist even once baked!).  Let them soak for 5-10 minutes before draining.

2)  Then, in a large saucepan, whisk your eggs until frothy.

3)  Add in sugar, vanilla, butter and cream and mix.

4)  Stir in raisins, and then boil on a medium heat for 3 minutes.

5)  Remove from heat, and add in chopped nuts.

6)  Spoon the mixture into your tart shells.

7)  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.  

I'm in love with my mom's handy butter ruler!  This thing is a lifesaver!

You'll want your nuts chopped fairly fine.  The tart shells aren't huge, so you don't want enormous pieces!

We doubled the batch, and ended up making 12 regular tarts, and 19 mini ones!

I like how unfussy these tarts are, and yet they still look and taste amazing!  You'll be sure to make new friends if you bring these to a party.  I promise.

p.s.

 ♥ kelsey