← Nouns Cooking · Bakery

Ingredients

• 225 g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 150 g very cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 4 tbsp ice-cold water
• 165 g dark brown soft sugar
• 60 ml maple syrup (or golden syrup)
• 60 g Butter, melted and cooled
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp cider or white vinegar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 pinch Salt
• 50 g raisins or chopped pecans (optional)

Method

1. Pulse or rub the flour, sugar, salt and butter together until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle over the water and mix just until the dough clumps. Press into a disc, wrap and chill for 30 min.
2. Roll the pastry out to 3 mm thick and cut 10 cm rounds, re-rolling the scraps once. Press them into a 12-hole muffin tin so the pastry comes slightly above the rims. Chill for 15 min while the oven heats to 200°C (180°C fan, 400°F).
3. Whisk the brown sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, egg, vinegar, vanilla and salt until smooth; don’t whip in air.
4. Scatter a few raisins or pecans into each case, if using, then fill each about two-thirds full with the filling.
5. Bake on a low shelf for 16–20 min until the pastry is golden and the filling has puffed and bubbled; it will still jiggle in the middle.
6. Cool in the tin for 20 min, then run a knife round each tart and lift out. They set as they cool, staying soft and gooey inside.

Tips

• Bake a couple of minutes less for runny, drippy tarts, or a little longer for a firmer, fudgy set.
• Raisins or no raisins is a serious debate in Canada; pecans are a good peace offering.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Once Upon a Chef King Arthur Baking BBC Good Food