How To Make Butter Tarts

Mmmm. Butter tarts.

It's only been a few months since Miss Cora's Kitchen opened in Kensington Market but it didn't take long for locals to discover the amazing scents of freshly baked goodness emanating from the oven. Owner and head chef Cora DeVries learned a lot of what she knows from her mother and one of the recipes that's been passed down from one generation to the next is her butter tarts. Hot out of the oven, they're tough to beat.

To learn the secret behind this once-guarded family recipe, I took my video camera behind the counter and into the kitchen where Cora showed me how to make the perfect butter tart. Watch the video below to learn how to make them yourself:

Keep reading for the full recipe and instructions.

Ingredients

For the pastry, you'll need:

* 2.25 cups flour
* Half a cup of cold vegetable shortening, cut into half inch pieces
* Half a cup of cold butter, cut into half inch pieces
* 1 tsp salt
* One third of a cup of cold water

Preparation

Place flour, shortening, butter and salt in a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles course crumbs. Add cold water. Count 30 seconds and then pulse until dough begins to clump together. Empty bowl of food processor onto floured table, divide in 2, and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill at least one hour or overnight in the fridge.

Ingredients

For the filling you'll need:

* Half a cup of melted butter
* One cup of brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 2 tbsp. cream or milk

Preparation

Mix together.

To assemble tarts, roll out the dough on floured board. Cut dough into circles to fit regular sized muffin tins. Grease tins, and then ease dough into the muffin tin.

Add either raisins or pecans (4 or 5 per tart). Add a few tablespoons of the filling to top the raisins/pecans. Tarts should be two thirds full when they go into the oven.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Check for browned pastry. Depending on your oven - bake for 2-5 min. longer if necessary. When ready, the crust should be slightly browned and the filling should be hot and bubbling. Cool and remove from muffin pans.

A big thanks to Cora Devries for sharing this delicious recipe. Try making them at home but don't forget to go to Miss Cora's Kitchen to sample the real deal!