Zapappy

Name: Canadian Butter Tarts
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 157 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp granulated sugar; 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 3/4 cup unsalted butter, very cold; cut into 1/2-inch / 12-mm cubes; 1 large egg yolk; 5 tbsp ice water, plus 1 tbsp / 15 ml only if needed; 2 tsp white vinegar; 1/2 cup raisins; 1 cup boiling water, for soaking the raisins; discard after soaking; 1 cup packed dark brown sugar; 1/4 cup pure maple syrup; 1/3 cup salted butter, melted and cooled until just warm; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 2 tbsp heavy cream; 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 2 tsp vanilla extract

Cooking

Ingredients

Flaky Pastry

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, very cold; cut into 1/2-inch / 12-mm cubes
1 large egg yolk
5 tbsp ice water, plus 1 tbsp / 15 ml only if needed
2 tsp white vinegar

Butter Tart Filling

1/2 cup raisins
1 cup boiling water, for soaking the raisins; discard after soaking
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup salted butter, melted and cooled until just warm
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Make and Chill the Pastry

In a {{tool:food-processor|food processor}}, pulse the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and kosher salt to combine. Add the cold unsalted butter and pulse until most pieces are pea-size with a few flatter shards remaining.
Whisk the egg yolk, white vinegar, and 5 tbsp ice water together. Drizzle over the flour mixture and pulse just until moist clumps hold when squeezed. If dry flour remains, add the reserved ice water 1 tsp at a time. Turn out, press into a disk without kneading, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Line the Tin and Mix the Filling

Cover the raisins with the boiling water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly, spread on a clean towel, and blot completely dry.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a scant 1/8 inch thick. Cut twelve 4-inch rounds with a {{tool:round-cutter|round cutter}}, rerolling scraps once. Ease each round into an ungreased standard {{tool:muffin-tin|muffin tin}} without stretching; the pastry should reach slightly above each cup. Refrigerate for 15 minutes while the oven heats.
Heat the oven to 400F with a rack in the lower-middle position. Set the muffin tin on a {{tool:sheet-pan|sheet pan}}.
In a {{tool:mixing-bowl|mixing bowl}}, whisk the dark brown sugar, maple syrup, melted salted butter, eggs, heavy cream, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract just until smooth. Do not whip the mixture or build a cap of foam.
Divide the dried raisins evenly among the cold shells. Stir the filling once to recombine, then divide it among the shells, filling each no more than two-thirds full so bubbling sugar stays below the pastry rim.

Bake, Release, and Cool

Bake until the pastry is deep golden, the filling bubbles around the edges, and each center still trembles slightly when the pan is nudged, rotating after 10 minutes, 18-22 minutes total.
Cool in the tin for exactly 10 minutes. Run a thin blunt knife around any sticky edges and lift the tarts out while they are warm enough to release. Transfer to a {{tool:wire-rack|wire rack}} and cool for at least 45 minutes before serving so the filling reaches its final softly set texture.