Prize Winning Butter Tarts

My last couple of posts have been rant based, so it's time to sweeten things up a bit. And there's nothing sweeter than good old fashioned butter tarts. Apparently, this decadent treat is a Canadian classic. Only in Canada, eh? Pity!This recipe won my mom top prize at a Fall Fair years ago. It's my dad's favourite, although we don't make them very often. That's how he stays so skinny.

Below is the original recipe. When I make them, I replace the raisins and coconut with walnuts. Pecans or cashews do nicely, too. Play with what you add to the batter, but don't under any circumstances use a butter substitute. Margarine Tarts just wouldn't be right.

Butter Tarts
Printable recipe
Makes 2 to 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup each: raisins, walnuts, coconut
• raw tart shells
  

Instructions

1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Spoon into raw tart shells.
3. Bake at 400F or 20 minutes.
4. Let cool before removing from tart tins.

Variations

• Omit raisins and coconut. Substitute pecans or cashews for walnuts.
• Add chocolate chips. (Note: This is a modern but popular substitution. I love chocolate but don't care for them in my butter tarts. If you're making butter tarts for the first time, I wouldn't use the chips. This way you can taste the authentic recipe and decide if you can take the added sweetness.)
  

Serve with tea or coffee and lots of napkins.