Canadian Butter Tarts

Ingredients

• 13 ozshortcrust pastry, store-bought; rolled slightly thinner than from the pack
• 2eggs, large; beaten
• 7/8 cupdark brown sugar, dark dark brown sugar for a deep toffee flavor
• 2/3 cupraisins
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• 3 1/2 tbspbutter
• 4 tsplight cream
• 1/2 cupwalnuts, roughly chopped; stirred in at the end

Method

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375°F / 350°F fan / Gas 5. Roll out the shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured surface until slightly thinner than from the packet.

2. 2

   Cut out 18–20 rounds with a 7.5cm fluted cutter, re-rolling the trimmings. Use them to line two deep 12-hole tart pans — tart pans, not muffin tins.

3. 3

   Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the dark brown sugar, raisins, vanilla extract, butter and light cream, and combine well.

4. 4

   Tip the mixture into a pan over medium heat and stir continuously for 3–4 minutes until the butter melts and the mixture bubbles and thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat.

5. 5

   Stir in the walnuts, then spoon the filling into the unbaked pastry shells level with the top of the pastry.

6. 6

   Bake for 15–18 minutes until set and pale golden. Cool in the pans for a few minutes, then lift onto a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.