Pecan Butter Tarts

I 

Butter tarts are one of my favourite Christmas treats. My version uses only pecans but you can use 1/2 Cup raisins or currants instead. If you do place the raisins or currants in 1/2 cup of boiling water for five minutes, drain and then add to the mixture. I like to make my own pastry but store bought works well too. I included a great recipe for pie dough. Remember the pie dough is enough for two 9-11 inch single crust pies so you will have left over pie dough if you make a single recipe of pecan tarts. I doubled the recipe and only used half of the pie dough. The rest I stored away in the freezer to use another time.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Pecans, chopped
2 Eggs
1 Cup brown sugar
¼ Cup corn syrup
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
½ Cup melted butter

Directions:

Line 18 tart shells/muffin tin with homemade pastry or you can use pre-made pastry lined tart shells.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Beat eggs, brown sugar and corn syrup until frothy, add vanilla and butter, mix.
Stir in nuts.
Fill tart shells ⅔ full.
Bake 15-20 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown.
Cool on wire rack.


Ingredients:
¾ Cup cold butter
⅓ Cup cold vegetable shortening
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ Cup ice water
3 Cups flour

Directions:
Cut cold butter into small pieces.
In a food processor fitted with a steel blade add flour, sugar, and salt.
Pulse a couple times to mix.
Add butter and shortening, pulse until the size of peas.
With the machine running, pour in ice water down the feeding tube until the dough begins to form a ball.
Dump out on floured surface and form into a ball and wrap and refrigerate for
20-30 minutes.
This recipe makes two 9-11 inch pie crusts.
Print Recipe:Perfect Pie Dough
Print Recipe:Pecan Butter Tarts

Beat eggs,brown sugar, and corn syrup together until frothy.

Nice and frothy!

Add butter and vanilla.

Stir in pecans.

Set mixture aside and prepare pastry.

Cut butter into small pieces and refrigerate butter and shortening to keep nice and cold.

Add sugar and salt to a food processor fitted with a blade.

Add shortening and butter, pulse.

Pulse 10=12 times until butter and shortening resembles the size of peas. 

Add ice water.

Mix until a ball of dough forms.

Wrap dough and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

Roll out dough and line tart or muffin tins. Crimp the edges.

Fill to 2/3 full.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

Cool in pan for ten minutes and then place on a wire cooling rack.