Rum Butter Tarts with Toasted Pecans
By franny-2
The thin, flaky crust encases a generous filling, banishing memories of lesser butter tarts with thick pasty, paltry filling and-yuk! - raisins. You can substitute your favourite pastry or, if pressed for time, purchase frozen tart shells and proceed directly to step 3.
- 12
Ingredients
- Pastry
- 1 ¼ cups (300 mL) all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
- ¼ cup (50 mL) cold butter
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) cold lard or shortening
- ½ tsp (2 mL) lemon juice
- 2 to 3 tbsp (20 to 45 mL) ice cold water
- Filling
- 1 egg ½ cup (125 mL) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 mL) corn syrup
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) dark rum
- ½ tsp (2 mL) pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (50 mL) melted butter
- ¼ to ½ cup (50 to 125 mL) coarsely chopped toasted
- pecans or walnuts
Preparation
Step 1
1. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter and lard until butter pieces are about the size of small peas. Stir lemon juice into 2 tbsp (25 mL) water. Stir into flour mixture, adding up to 1 tbsp (15 mL) more water if needed to just moisten. Press together to form a ball of dough; then flatten, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Coat cups of a standard 12-cup muffin pan generously with cooking spray or lightly butter. Roll out pastry until thinner than usual for pie crust, about 1/8-inch (0.5-cm) thick. Use a 3-inch (8- cm) cookie cutter (or upturned glass) to cut into rounds. Press into cups forcing dough two-thirds to three-quarters up sides. Use scraps to fill in any breaks, low sides or thin parts. Freeze 10 minutes while making filling.
3. Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
4. Beat egg lightly with a fork. Gradually add brown sugar, corn syrup, rum, vanilla and melted butter. Stir until smooth. Divide ¼ cup (50 mL) nuts among homemade shells or ½ cup (125 mL) among frozen purchased shells; spoon in filling. Bake 15 minutes or until filling is bubbly and browned. Cool in pans on racks; then run a knife around edges of tarts. Remove tarts from pans. Covered tarts keep for a day or 2 at room temperature and freeze well.