Butter Tarts: This Gooey Dessert Has Captured the Heart of Canadians
Butter tarts have an all-butter crust and a satisfyingly gooey filling of brown sugar, butter, and eggs, and are beloved by Canadians everywhere. By Molly Allen Serious Eats Updated September 18, 2024
Notes: An excellent choice for Holiday Dessert or Sunday Snacks. Butter Tarts freeze well and so can be made ahead and then just defrosted “on the day”
Variation: Dust the crust with Pecan Flour before filling and add chopped Pecans to the filling.
Ingredients: pie crust your own or store bought white vinegar unsalted butter dark brown sugar large eggs vanilla extract kosher salt Variation: Pecan Flour Chopped Pecan Pieces
Inspired by 11 Ways with Deviled Eggs from the Betty Crocker Test Kitchens1 Whether you are “using up” Easter Eggs or starting fresh – Deviled eggs are fun to eat, addictive and frankly my tomato season lunch of choice is Deviled Eggs & Fresh Tomato bites.
Our personal favorites always start with basic recipe: Ingredients: 6 Hard boiled eggs2 — Cooled to at least room temp before peeling… — for safe handling and the shells slice cleaner when cold. — with peels removed and sliced “long way” to make 12 halves. — If you will not be filling shortly, place on serving dish, cover and refrigerate Mix In a medium bowl: 1/4 cup Mayonnaise3 (or make your own) 1/3 tsp Kosher Iodized Salt 1/2 tsp Horse Radish Powder (optional) … or 1 tsp Fresh or Prepared Horse radish 1/3 tsp Mustard Powder — or 1/2 tsp Prepared Mustard — (we preferred Stone Ground other like Dijon) 1/4 tsp Garlic Granulated — or 2/3 tsp Garlic Fresh, smashed to smooth pulp about 2-3 cloves Classic Garnish: Smoked Paprika Powder sprinkled. For Him: I add a few drops of hot sauce to the white half “shell” (not to be confused with the peels) before filling and on top.
In another small bowl, remove yolks from shells and mash with a fork until smooth Combine Yolks to Mayo Mix and blend, or wisk or stir with fork until smooth and no streaks of either white or yellow
If needed, drizzle a bit of any neutral vegetable oil you enjoy to thin mixture to make it easier to add to shells Or Left over filling can be thinned with the oil of your choice and used over the fresh tomato or as a Salad Dressing.
Deviled and other uses of hard cooked eggs are an excellent candidate for “10-20-30 method.”4 Allowing one to cook the eggs, leave in the shell and then peel and use later. I usually do at least 18 eggs – 6 to devil now, then the remaining dozen for later. Hard cooked eggs will “keep” for a week or more in the refrigerator.
What works for me (because I get distracted) is pressure cook 5 minutes, natural release and then cold water bath – changing the water at least twice for best results.
Betty’s 11 ways clkck to visit the Betty Crocker site for their recipes: 1. Curried Deviled Eggs 2. Bacon-Cheddar Deviled Eggs 3. Blue Cheese Deviled Eggs 4. Fresh Herb Deviled Eggs 5. Taco Deviled Eggs 6. Wasabi Deviled Eggs 7. Chipotle Deviled Eggs 8. Ham and Veggie Deviled Eggs 9. Reuben Deviled Eggs 10. Zesty Deviled Eggs 11. Lighter Deviled Eggs ↩︎
It was truly a friend raving about peeling hard cooked eggs made easy by using a electric pressure cooker that make me look again at the InstantPot but since at the time (2016) it did not have the added feature of the original Ninja Foodi’s of multiple lids. ↩︎
the 10-20-30 concept refers to things to all kinds of projects that you can do by spending a few minutes here and there – in this case – hard oil the eggs, then cool until ready to go further. ↩︎
Caveat Lechtor: As always I recommend you shop local for the best price. This post contains Affiliate links. Use of these links may pay a small commission to me. This does not affect the price you pay
DRAFT: When anything Soy is “not an option” Often enough for two, but can be doubled. Best Flavor when it has a few hours for ingredients to “meld” It is my preference to only make enough for one meal, but it does store in refrigerator for at least a week so you can increase volume and make ahead.
Mix all ingredients together with a wisk until completely incorporated
To Serve: TRADITIONAL: Place in a bowl and toss the crsipy protein, serve over rice (Thai Jasmine using Orange Juice instead of Water is our fav or if you must Riced Cauliflower – won’t happen in our house except for ONE particular red head is visiting)
OPTIONAL DIP Water or Orange Juice .5 tsp at a time until a consistency you like for a dipping sauce.
Most of the time I get mine from Food Lion or Safeway via their delivery services. still a better price than Wal-Mart or Amazon “most of the time.
Again with emphasis – Neither Amazon or Wal-Mart offer the best prices for ANY of these ingredients. Since, unopened the St Dalfour, Maggi’s and Spice World Squeezes have an excellent Pantry shelf life, I watch for sales and “stock up” as the budget allows. Of course, once opened into the refrigerator they go.
Most “store brand” Stone Ground or Dijon brown mustard – offered 12 oz squeeze bottles are pretty much the same. Either makes a good base for different condiment needs. (sandwich spread, dipping, glazing, etc)
Wheat’s Hot-n-Spicy Mustard Dip 3 Tbl Stone Ground Mustard 1 tsp Horse Radish POWDER ….. or 1 TBL Prepared Horse Radish 3 Tbl Water or other liquid to thin to dipping consistency – Mix well and allow to sit at room temp for a few hours OR overnight in fridge – Store, covered in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
Although I will use most of their recipe for the ingredients and the technique, as of those with chronic arthritis, the dough for this recipe could easily be prepared using the dough cycle of your Bread Machine – Just remember to follow your machine’s recommendations for the order in which to add ingredients. My suggestion/rule of thumb for things like sourdough and in this case, the tangzhong is after other liquid
So far the only sub I will make is using a comparable amount of previously prepared shredded pork that needs to leave the freezer and used. It only slightly differs from the recipe in that it was modified to avoid certain ingredients which do not sit well with us. Just the first of what I suspect will be many experiments.
Serves if no sides – and depends on size of pita –
3 or 4
3 or 4
lamb ground
1 lb
1 lb
Beef 80/20
½ lb
Garlic granual
½ tsp
1 tsp
onion granual
1 tsp
1 tsp
Tuscan Blend ** see note
1 tbl
1 Tbl
Pepper Black coarse ground
½ tsp
½ tsp
sea salt coarse or if table grind, use ½ amount
½ tsp
½ tsp
Lemon zest or peel *optional but worth including for more “greek” like taste
1/8 tsp
1/8 tsp
Paprika smoked
1/8 tsp
1/8 tsp
Panko or Maize – optional in fact I usually forget it
¼ c
Gravy Mix – Brown -optional – enhanced meat flavor
1 Tbl
Meat Directions – This is an easy recipe to double or more “as written” – I recommend freezing uncooked extra for future meals in unsliced “logs” (just add a few extra minutes to baking or air fry time for fresher flavor.
Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly
Mix Dry into meat REALLY MASH – into an almost paste like texture.
Place in covered bowl and refrigerate at least 3 hours if time allows.*
Shape into approx 5 x 5 x 1 inch square (easiest when refrigerated but the world does not end if you don’t)
Cut into 1 in square “Logs” (like a square hot dog)
Optional, chill the logs before Bake/AirFry – if you have time, if not, not to worry it will be fine. place on rack in shallow pan – chilling does make it easier to shape.
Either Bake at 350F – 30 mins Or AirFry 325 – 20 mins Check for Internal temp of 160F/72C Allow to rest 5 mins before slicing.
* The world does not end if you do not have time to refrigerate and allow flavors to meld. It is also easier to shape the logs when cold.
**Drogheria & Alimentari Organic Tuscan Herb Seasoning is my preferred version of Italian Seasoning – We use this Tuscan Herb Blend in many ways. In this recipe, usually calling for Greek Seasoning by adding Lemon Zest or Peel and Mint adding 1/8th tsp (teaspoon) each per tablespoon of the Drogheria & Alimentari Organic Tuscan Herb Seasoning offers a pleasant flavour to the this or any other Mediterranean regional dish. For other ways see my post: Ingredient: Tuscan Herb Seasoning
Your Kitchen = Your Choice: Many recipes call for diced black olives. We don’t like olives.
Plating as Pita Pockets. Heat 01 or 2 Pitas per person (or more in you have teenage boys or hardworking adults) Slice meat longways to make strips about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. 1 Tbl Tzatziki smeared inside pocket Add Meat, thin slice onion, tomato and crumbled Feta
Plating as “Dinner” per person 1/2 cup Brown Basmati Rice Cooked and HOT Crumble 1 Tbl Feta onto hot rice Cut meat into bite size pieces. Add Meat evenly distributed over rice Add 2 Tbl Diced Fresh Tomato Add 2 Tbl Diced Fresh Onion Top with tzatziki & finely crumbled Feta
Plating as Salad (my favorite) Shredded Lettuce of your choice Distribute following evenly Meat cut into bite sized pieces 2 Tbl Diced Fresh Tomato Add 2 Tbl Diced Fresh Onion Top with tzatziki & finely crumbled Feta Optional: Top with Tzatziki Dressing (tzatziki thinned w/Mediterranean olive oil 2:1 ratio Top with crumbled Feta
