Chef Brian Henry

I’ve had the pleasure of judging many food related competitions over the year’s but none of them compares to judging yesterday’s Butter Tart Taste-Off at the Flavour Festival held in Peterborough, Ontario.

Searching for the best crust, best filling, most creative and best overall was a daunting task.  Ontario.choose the best crust, best filling, the most creative butter tart, and the overall best Butter Tart.

Round one had 11 butter tarts

The judging panel was

Dan Duran and Linda Kash of Magic 967 FM

Rita DeMontis

Carol-Ann Eason

Stu Harrison

Jay Thuler Magic 96.7

and yours truly .

The winners were…

Best Crust: Argyle Country Mart

Best Filling: Doo Doo’s

Best Creative Tart: Doo Doo’s

Overall Best Tart: Betty’s Pies & Tarts

People’s Choice: Cravings Bakery

Full details can be seen at http://ptbocanada.com/journal/2013/4/29/ptbopics-coverage-winners-of-2013-butter-tart-taste-off-at-f.html

Curried Goat

Pemeal Beef Bacon from Traynor Farms

Can I tweet this cheese?

Here are some suggested recipes for making your own Butter Tarts

remember to fill unused muffin cups halfway with water to prevent them from drawing too much heat.

Butter Tart

Version 1

Pastry

5 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tbsp vinegar

water

Mix flour and salt in a large bowl.

In a measuring cup, beat the egg and the vinegar, then add enough cold water to make one cup.

Add one pound of Tenderflake or shortening (whichever you like) to flour/salt mixture. Mix just until the flour looks moist, not too much. Add the liquid and use your fingers to toss it together — do not mix or knead.

Chill the pastry while you make the filling

Butter Tart Filling

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups corn syrup

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp lemon juice

6 eggs

Beat together the butter and sugar.

Add the next three ingredients and beat again. Beat the eggs, and add to the mix.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Roll and cut the pastry, and place in tart pans. In the bottom of each shell, put a few raisins or pecans or walnuts — whatever your taste buds like.

Pour in liquid filling to within half an inch of the top.

Bake for 18 minutes. Take the pan out, turn it around and return it to the oven for a few minutes longer — until golden brown and not really runny.

Let tarts cool before removing from pan. Makes two dozen.

Version 2

PASTRY:

2 cups cake & pastry flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces

3 tbsp cold shortening, cut in pieces

2 tsp lemon juice

4 to 6 tbsp ice water

FILLING:

1/2 cup sultana raisins

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For pastry, stir together flour and salt in medium bowl. Using pastry blender or large fork, cut in butter and shortening until pieces are about the size of peas.

In measuring cup, stir lemon juice into 4 tablespoons ice water. Stir into flour mixture with fork. Add remaining ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, to just moisten dry ingredients. Using hands, press mixture into ball. Flatten into disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Roll out dough about 1/8-inch thick. Using 4-inch diameter cookie cutter or top of drinking glass, cut out 12 circles. Place circles in lightly greased cups of 12-cup muffin tin, ruffling edges to fit. Refrigerate while you prepare filling.

For filling, in small bowl or measuring cup, cover raisins with hot water. Set aside.

In medium bowl, using back of wooden spoon, blend corn syrup, sugar, butter and salt, until smooth, with no butter streaks. Blend in egg and vanilla.

Drain raisins well. Divide among tart shells. Top with equal amounts of sugar mixture.

Bake about 18 minutes in preheated 400F oven, until pastry is golden and filling is puffy and brown.

Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Remove tarts to rack to cool completely. Store in covered container. Makes 12.

Who cut the cheese?