Name: Apple Walnut Canadian Butter Tarts
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: cooking spray; flour for dusting; 1 pound prepared pie crust; 2 cups apple juice; 0.75 cup packed brown sugar; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 large egg; 1 tablespoon whipping cream; 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 pinch salt; 0.5 cup chopped walnuts

Apple Walnut Canadian Butter Tarts Recipe

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Over the years, I've had many requests for Canadian butter tarts. Everyone wants them, but they all have their own preferences. Some people demand raisins, while others adamantly say, "no nuts!" It didn't take long to realize that Canadians have very strong opinions about what makes a proper butter tart.

The base of this recipe is simple, just brown sugar, butter, and eggs. While walnuts are a popular addition, I decided to try something different by using a reduced apple juice to give the tart its fruity sweetness instead of raisins, which Im not particularly fond of. And let me tell you, it worked wonderfully! This is, without a doubt, the best Canadian butter tart I've ever made - possibly even one of the best nut tarts and apple tarts Ive ever tasted!

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. Just mix everything, pour it into a pastry shell, and bake until golden and bubbling. Whether you prefer raisins or not, you can easily adjust the recipe. If you want to skip the apple reduction, just toss in a handful of raisins. Either way, I hope you give this one a try soon!

Ingredients

1 pound prepared pie crust
2 cups apple juice
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Cooking spray (for greasing)
Flour (for dusting)

Directions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375F (190C). Lightly spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.

Step 2: Dust a work surface with flour. Roll out the pie dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Using a 4-inch round pastry cutter, cut out 12 circles. Transfer each circle into the muffin tin, pressing gently into the bottom and sides. Refrigerate the dough while you prepare the filling.

Step 3: In a saucepan, add the apple juice and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Let it reduce to about 3-4 tablespoons of apple syrup. Once done, set aside to cool.

Step 4: In a bowl, combine the brown sugar and apple syrup. Add the melted butter, egg, cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Whisk the mixture until it becomes smooth and liquid.

Step 5: Remove the pastry shells from the refrigerator. Evenly divide the chopped walnuts into the bottom of each tart shell. Pour the filling into the shells, filling them about two-thirds of the way. Gently tap the tin to smooth out the filling.

Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.

Step 7: Let the tarts cool in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes. Once cooled slightly, remove them from the tin and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!