Lisa-in-Germany, were we twins separated at birth?? I could have written *exactly* the same post, but subbing “Sister” for “Dad.” I love the Karo filling but I can’t stand the nuts. I don’t like nuts of any sort. Mother thought a dish wasn’t fit to eat until she had found a way to put nuts in it. It made for an interesting childhood! ETA: OMG, I just saw how old this post is!

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.

I actually prefer them not so runny, so I do the minis. I just don't like the recipe that I used last time, and will be sure to make them this year using your recipe. I might even make some more using chase's recipe. I think I used a cream cheese crust. And these little suckers are twice as good as pecan pie.

We all have our favourite recipes and mine is my Mom's. She didn't use corn syrup or maple syrup. Just butter and brown sugar. No graininess and they weren't runny because of the syrup. I really dislike runny gooey butter tarts. I've shared the recipe and some members here have made them as well. Jasdip's Mom's Butter Tarts :D 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla 2 tsp cream or half and half 1/2 cup butter, melted raisins Make pastry and cut with a large biscuit cutter and put into muffin cups. Put some raisins in each unbaked shell. Spoon mixture over top. Bake at 425 degrees 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 until done, another 8-10 minutes. Here's a poor picture of them. Poor because my muffin tin cups are shallow and wider than normal so the pastry gets lost in them. I need to find something bigger than the tomato can that I've been using.