Best Maple Butter Tarts

Make your own delectable custardy tarts instead of buying them. We've subbed in the very Canadian ingredient maple syrup for the more common corn syrup. Plus, we've included variations on the classic, with chocolate and pecans instead of raisins.

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Source: Canadian Living Magazine: July 2013

Prep time 25 minutes
Total time 2 hours
Portion size 12

Ingredients
3/4 cup (175 mL) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) maple syrup, (No. 1 medium grade)
1/3 cup (75 mL) butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tbsp (15 mL) cider vinegar
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnut halves
1/4 cup (60 mL) dried currants
1/4 cup (60 mL) golden raisins

Sour Cream Pastry:1-1/4 cups (300 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/4 cup (60 mL) cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup (60 mL) cold lard, cubed
2 tbsp (30 mL) Ice water, (approx)
4 tsp (18 mL) sour cream

Preparation
Sour Cream Pastry: In bowl, whisk flour with salt. Using pastry blender, cut in butter and lard until in fine crumbs with a few larger pieces. Whisk water with sour cream; drizzle over flour mixture, tossing briskly with fork and adding more water if necessary to form ragged dough. Press into disc; wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.)

On lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to generous 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness. Using 4-inch (10 cm) round cutter, cut out 12 circles, rerolling and cutting scraps. Fit into 12 muffin cups; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, eggs, vinegar and salt. Divide walnuts, currants and raisins among pastry shells. Spoon scant 1/4 cup filling into each shell.

Bake in 350?F (180?C) oven until filling is set and pastry is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Run thin knife around edges to release tarts. Let cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool completely. (Make-ahead: Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours.)

Additional information :
Change It Up

Maple Chocolate Butter Tarts
Replace currants and raisins with 1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips.

Maple Pecan Butter Tarts
Omit walnuts and currants. Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
Nut-Free Raisin-Free Maple Butter Tarts
Omit walnuts, currants and raisins.

Nutritional Information Per serving: about
cal 283 pro 3g total fat 15g sat. fat 7g
carb 35g fibre 1g chol 55mg sodium 204mg
% RDI:
calcium 4 iron 9 vit A 8 folate 13
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/baking_and_desserts/best_maple_butter_tarts.php