I had the same question when I read the strip last week (it so closely parallels my own life, I never miss it. I cried when Farley died, and I'm so glad that Liz and Anthony are back together - sheesh, I need a life!).

Here's what I found out about them. There are some recipes at the bottom.

Maybe we can get Lynn Johnston on the forum!

Here is a link that might be useful: Butter tart

Thanks, I also wondered what a butter tart is. I have been reading this strip for years. April is the same age as my oldest grandchild.

Oh butter tarts are so good! They're a truly Canadian treat. I love mine full of raisins.
The sweet buttery, syrupy filling and the soft crumbly pastry are so very addicting!

Here's one photo I took in 2005 of a pecan and raisin buttertart which I bought immediately upon my arrival for holidays in Canada.
This year I didn't have any as I'm trying to keep my sugar intake at a low level.
Hard to resist them though!

Here's a good recipe:

Aunt Gladys' Butter Tarts

Makes 24 large tarts

1 recipe Nathan's pastry *see below

2 cups brown sugar
2 cups corn syrup
1/2 pound butter, not margarine
8 eggs
1/2 teasp salt
1 1/2 teasp vanilla
3 cups dark raisins

1. Roll out pastry to 1/8 inch thickness and line muffin tins. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan mix together the brown sugar and syrup and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.
Add butter to mixture and stir until melted.

3. Slightly beat the eggs in a large bowl and gradually add the hot mixture, beating constantly. Add salt and vanilla and mix well.

4. Place 1 heaping TBS of raisins into each tart shell and pour in the hot mixture almost to the top of the shells.
Bake at 400F for 15 to 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool before removing from tins.

Nathan's Pastry

These quantities make enough pastry for 3 double-crust pies or 3 1/2 dozen tart shells - muffin size.

5 cups flour
1 teasp salt
2 teasp baking powder
1 lb (454 grams) Tenderflake lard
2 teasp white vinegar
1 egg - slightly beaten. Add water to vinegar and egg to make 1 cup

1) Mix together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in lard until crumbly (using two knives.)
2) Add liquid and mix gently with hands. (I use a fork to help me here.) Roll into a ball.
3) Roll out amount needed on a floured board. Refrigerate or freeze remainder.

Source: "I've Got To Have That Recipe"
Doell, Winsby and Pollard, Victoria B.C. 1986

SharonCb

Butter Tarts are Canadian through and through, my favourite pastry treat. They are sorta like a mini pecan pie minus the pecans.

The "goop" is the main attraction and to that you can add, nuts and/or raisins. Love how they ooze a little when you bit into them. Any butter tart that stays totally in shape is surely store bought.

My Mom made the best butter tarts in the world, I never got her recipe and now it's too late : (

Welcome back Sharon!

Hehe, I read it too! I'm surprised you hadn't picked up on the fact that the characters live in Canada. Over time there's been a number of references, manner of speaking (eh?) etc.
In fact Liz lived up north with the indigenous people for her first teaching job!
I guess I already knew what a butter tart was thanks to the Sharon's and Ann!

I'm sure we all know the family lives in Canada. That fact would be very hard to miss, since she's made many references to it since 1979. We just wanted our Canadian forum friends to give us their recipe(s) and comments on butter tarts. It's much more personal than a Google search.

Here's an interesting fact about the future of the strip. In January 2007, following much speculation regarding the strip's future, it was announced that Johnston would be tweaking the format of FBorFW in September of that year: storylines would now focus primarily on the "second generation" family of one of the original children; scenes and artwork from older strips would be reused in new contexts; and the characters would stop aging

It's my favorite strip. My kids are about the same age. I try to never miss it, fortunately, I can catch up online, now, if I do miss one.

LOL...I TOO wondered about a butter tart!!! and on that note I'm posting a similar question.

btw, I love this ...and the characters would stop aging Maureen

No! I want the characters to grow up..so Anthony (sigh-I don't like him) and Liz will have children and grandchildren....
I want to know who April will marry. I want Grandpa Joe to be at peace.
I didn't know what a butter tart was either!

I love butter tarts. I usually make them plain. But sometimes I will add pecans or toasted walnuts. Never raisins though.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Butter Tarts
============
1/4 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup walnut halves

Optional - 1/2 cup currants or raisins
water

.
Blend together the butter and brown sugar. Beat the eggs lightly and
stir into the butter and brown sugar and add the corn syrup. (You can
substitute Corn syrup for all or part of the Maple syrup.), add
vanilla and raisins if using.

Fill tart shells about two thirds full. Bake at 375°F for 15 to 20
minutes or until pastry is golden.

The filling in these tarts is runny. Do not over bake or the filling
will firm up. Let tarts set in the tins for about 3 minutes. Remove
carefully and cool on racks. Makes about twenty 3 inch tarts.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Butter-Lard Pastry
==================
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup lard (or shortening- Crisco)
5 to 6 tablespoons of ice water

(note: if using for a sweet pie, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar.)
. Mix flour with salt, and cut in butter and lard.

(Note: I use the cuisinart to cut in my fat and then move the mixture
to a bowl to add the water by hand).
I like to have to do this by feel which I find I can't do by machine)

Put flour mixture in bowl and add water mixing with a fork until pastry
comes together. Form in to a ball and cut in two pieces. Form each
into a round flat disc and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Or

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Sour Cream Pastry
=================
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons ice water
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup chilled butter
1/2 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening
. Combine sour cream, water, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Cut butter
and shortening into flour, blending until mixture resembles coarse
meal. Add sour cream mixture and stir with fork until dough forms.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface, and form into a ball.
Divide ball in half, and form into flat disk. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Enough for two crusts.

You don't know what a BUTTERTART is?????

*Fainting dead away*

Tee hee!

If I had to describe it I would say the filling is like a less eggy pecan pie filling. Traditionally you would use raisins (or currants) but I know fans of pecans, walnuts, coconut, and just plain with no additions. For something different, use oats.

You can use a regular pastry crust, or one that contains cream cheese. In a pinch, premade tart shells for sweet recipes work fine.

They can be runny or more firm. I find the farther north (towards Quebec) we get, the runnier the buttertarts ROFL.

I have linked to what I think is the perfect butter tart filling (it has baking options for thick or runny as you choose).

Here is a link that might be useful: On Recipezaar

Many of us here in the US make them, but we have a different name for them. Most of the time I see them called "Pecan Pie Tarts." I love them, but they have to have the nuts in them (but NO raisins, yuck) They are wonderful little "pecan pies." Ann, I am glad you posted that recipe cause the recipes I have call for too much brown sugar, and they are gritty. I have had them that are wonderful and not gritty at all. Your recipe sounds like what I want.
I also just love that comic strip. I love Anthony, and want to see him and Elizabeth get married, and I want to know more about what's going on with the oldest son (the writer, I forget his name)
I wish people didn't try to "fix" things that aren't broken (at least IMHO)
Sherry