Grandma Beatrice's Prize Butter Tarts

This glorious recipe travelled from Scotland to Canada with my great-grandmother in the mid-1800s. It was passed to me by my beloved grandmother Bea, who taught me everything she knew about cooking and about life.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 305 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• ¾ cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ⅓ cup salted butter
• 1 (14.1 ounce) package refrigerated dough for a double-crust pie, defrosted
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Step 2

Combine brown sugar, raisins, butter, water, maple syrup, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until butter is melted and mixture is warm but not boiling, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes to cool a bit.

Step 3

Meanwhile, use a 4-inch round cutter to cut 12 circles of dough. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with the dough circles.

Step 4

Whisk egg and cream together in a small bowl, then whisk it into the cooled raisin mixture until well combined. Spoon it into the pastry shells, filling each one about 2/3 full.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue to bake, watching carefully, until the pastry edges are delicately browned, about 6 more minutes. Try to catch them before the filling bubbles up and spills over the edges.

Step 6

Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before serving.