Alyssas Butter Fly Tarts Recipes

CANADIAN BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Prepare and refrigerate the pie dough.
• Roll the dough as you would for most pies, about ⅛-inch thick or a tad thinner. Don't worry about keeping it nice and round like you normally would.
• Using a 4-inch-diameter cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the dough into as many circles as possible. Line each cup of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with one of the circles, gently nudging it down into the bottom creases of the pan. Try not to stretch the dough as you work; it can help to use something blunt, like a narrow jar, to nudge the dough. The top edge of the dough circle should come to about the middle of the cup. Gather the scraps and reroll the dough if you need additional ­circles. Chill the pan in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Adjust one oven rack so it is in the lower position, and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Combine the sugar, maple syrup, and butter in a mixing bowl. Whisk briefly. Add the egg, vinegar, vanilla, and salt, and whisk again.
• Set the muffin pan on your work surface. If you're using the fruit or nuts, put a few pieces in as many of the shells as you wish, but don't crowd them. Use a ladle or ¼-cup measuring cup with a handle to divide the filling evenly between the shells.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the filling bubbles and darkens somewhat.
• Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then carefully run a butter knife around the edge to loosen each tart. Let the tarts cool in the pan, then remove. Store, refrigerated, in a single layer in a covered tin or container, but let them come to room temperature before serving.

ALYSSA'S BUTTER-FLY TARTS

Steps:

• PASTRY: Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl; cut in butter and shortening until pieces are about the size of small peas.
• Stir lemon juice into 3 tbsp of ice water; stir into flour mixture, adding more ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, if needed, to just moisten.
• Press together to form a ball of dough; flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll out pastry and cut into 4-inch (approx) circles using a round cookie cutter or the open end of a drinking glass.
• Fit pastry circles into muffin cups; refridgerate while preparing the filling.
• FILLING: Place raisins into a small bowl and cover with rum that has been warmed in the microwave or a small pot (or hot tap water) to soak and soften while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
• Mix the brown sugar, golden corn syrup, butter and salt together in a medium bowl until the sugar is dissolved and no butter streaks are visible.
• Add vanilla and egg and mix until combined.
• ASSEMBLY: Drain raisins and divide among tart shells; add approximately 2 tbsp of filling to each tart shell.
• Bake 15 - 18 minutes or until the filling is lightly browned and bubbling.
• Remove from oven and cool in the muffin pans for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely on racks.