Yes, you can use the store bought pastry for tarts. Can you clarify what you mean by "butter tarts"...or post the recipe? Are you using a regular or mini muffin pan? Prebaking a tart crust...or not...just depends on the recipe you're using.

Agreed. Yes, you can use the store crust, especially if it's just there to hold the filling together, not impress anyone. Here is an easy, fun, flaky pie crust recipe that anyone who can follow directions can make because the instructions are detailed--the secret is chilling all your ingredients and tools. The link above is for you to have in case you want to try again. You can use the bought.

Hints. Chill the crust to handle well, but don't over chill it.

Make a paper pattern of how big your circle has to be to fit in the cups. Find a can, dish or other round thing you can cut with that fits your pattern. It's easier if it has a hole in it so it's easy to use a finger to dislodge your cut circle from it.

Make sure your work surface is well floured. A wood board is easier to get crust off of than something very smooth like granite or silicone. Or open it out on parchment paper or plastic wrap, so you can peel it off more easily.

"Dock" the crust by tapping it here and there with a fork when you pre-bake to let the steam out and keep it from puffing up. You can also put a piece of parchment paper in with some pie weights or dry beans or rice. If you use food as a weight, note that it will dry out in the oven and needs to be rehydrated (soaked) and cooked longer if you want to eat the rice or beans.

Or you could make it even easier on yourself and buy the tart crusts. Try a restaurant supply store, or even find a bakery that will sell them to you unfilled.

Most of all, have fun! People natter about leaky crusts or imperfect edges, but they never seem to be the people eating the pies! However perfect or not it comes out, it's the eating that's the good part, and that'll be good no matter what.

Butter tarts need to be baked. So yes, you can cut the circles from the pie dough for your tarts, fill and bake. A soup can isn't big enough, you'll have to find something big enough for your tart/muffin tin.

I used to make a butter tart filling that needed to be cooked. Now I use a different recipe, just mix and pour into the tart shells.

Lyban, I wasn't familiar with butter tarts but did some checking. All the recipes I saw called for baking the crust and filling together. Maybe Jasdip can share the no-bake filling. I would cut the pastry dough into about 4" circles for a muffin/cupcake pan.

Actually, I usually do use the pillsbury crust as it’s really good and easy. I have made my own crust using butt and my DH loved it. Either way, they are my favourite Christ,as treat. I’ve never er found a bad recipe, but the one I fave is the Crisco ultimate butter tart recipe. That’s the name of the recipe! And they shouldn’t be overbaked

Here’s the recipe:

1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/4 cup butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

About 1/2 cup raisins,optional. I use and soak them in brandy first

fill medium sized tart shell, a little more than half full. If you overfill, they will run over a stick to the pan. Bake at 425 on bottom rack about 12-15 minutes. Watch carefully.

these are to die for!

So the ingredients sound somewhat similar to pecan pie...with raisins and no pecans...?

Chloebud,

i was planning on using this butter tart recipe for filling.

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.

pillog, I am going to read your recipe for pastry and see if I want to try it, I might want to try again depending on my mood of the day. I will post when I decide which way I am going to go. I need to make this for Monday.

jasdip,

thank you as you can see I am using your moms recipe that I found on here. About how many tarts do you fill with that recipe.

Actually what I really would like to do is make a shortbread base and cook it. And then add jasdips moms recipe on top but I am not sure if I can do that and what size pan I would need

that would be ideal for this gathering that I need to bring them to.

i would need to make 2 - 8 inch square pans. Not sure if I need to double that recipe and what temps and time for cooking.

Lyban, Mom's recipe is fantastic, as it doesn't use corn syrup. Chase (Sharon) swears by it, and she's a frequent member here.

Something else that I make regularly are Butter Tart Squares. They're made on a shortbread crust, and use coconut. Raisins can be added as well.

Butter Tart Squares

Base:
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Mix together with a fork and press into an parchment-lined 8x8 baking dish. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes. Parchment makes it easier to lift out and cut into squares.

Topping:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar ***I only use 1 cup, as I don't like it overly sweet
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup flaked coconut
1 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp butter

Mix together and spread over base. Bake at 325 until firm (30-35 minutes) or until nicely browned.

Jasdip,

thank you so much for that info. If I could ask one more question....if I were to leave out the coconut and add 1 cup raisins because some friends are not keen on coconut would I leave all other ingredients the same. Or do you think the coconut is important. I could perhaps make one pan with and one without.

Lyban, the recipe from Jasdip's mom sounds good. So do those Butter Tart Squares. Shortbread crusts are always tasty IMO. I use them often for various tarts.

Making your own pastry dough just takes a little practice. It's really easy and better than any store bought pastry. I always have some in the freezer. That being said, there's nothing wrong with using Pillsbury's. Trader Joe's frozen pie crust is also pretty good. You can actually see the pieces of butter in it.

Lyban, the coconut isn't a necessity. You can certainly make it to you and your guests' tastes. It should be no problem putting the raisins in and leaving the rest the same. I know I've put raisins in periodically as hubby loved raisins. I also kept the coconut in, without adjusting the rest of the ingredients.

Gosh those butter tarts and squares look good - I do love raisin desserts! Saving!

Martha, what a cheery (and delicious looking) photo! I love how the butter tarts mimic the black eyed susans - and you always set such a pretty table : )

These recipes and Martha's tarts are new to me. They look good! They're not the yellow butter tarts I was thinking of and have no recipe for. :) It's like a custard, and usually has fruit. ... Google tells me it's properly called a brown butter tart. I've also in looking it up, found a number of different tart crust recipes that are very different from the standard crumbly mess (yeah, I usually cheat and use pie crust too). One is cooked and spread in the pan warm. The other is made like a pie crust, but with eggs, is chilled hard in a ball, then grated into the pan and lightly pressed into place. I may have to do a tart project and make these!

Lyban, good luck with the Stella Parks pastry recipe if/when you try it. Even the youngsters who have no patience cutting in butter the old fashioned way like making it, and it's the easiest, flakiest kind I've ever made.

Jasdip

i am looking over your squares recipe compared to the tarts, the fillings seem to be quite similar but I am wondering why the tarts have so much more butter than the squares. Any reason you know of for this...

Bumping for Jasdip, wanted you to see my last question above because I want to make these today. Thought that butter amount in filling might be a mistake.

thanks

Here is my recipe for the butter tart filling I made:

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. corn syrup

2 T. maple syrup

2 eggs

1/4 c. butter, melted

1 t. vanilla

1 t. white vinegar

pinch salt

Line muffin tins with pastry ( yours or refrigerated). 12 tins. Spoon about 2 T. filling into tins. Put into a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 8 minutes. Open lovely slightly for 10 seconds. Bake about 7 more minutes until filling is sued and pastry is golden. Cool in pan for 3 minutes, then run knife around the edges and cool on wire rack.

Thank you Martha,

i would prefer not to use corn syrup but cannot figure out that butter ingredients in jasdips recipe as 1 teaspoon.

maybe she will see this .

I looked up other recipes and they had a lot more butter than Jasdips recipe. I think it is an error but would not try to guess on my own. If you want to make them soon, I would google and see what you can find that's closet to Jasdips but would certainly make more sense o the amount o butter.

Lyban, I just saw this now, and I double-checked my written squares recipe. 1 tsp butter is correct. I've never noticed the disparity before, but I make the squares all the time. I also make the butter tarts, as do a couple of other family members, so they both seem to work out.

The extra butter in the tarts may be the substitution for corn syrup as most tart recipes call for the syrup which none of us like.

Lyban, I have "Message" selected on my profile as well, so if you or anyone in GW want to send me an email with anything, please feel free to do so.

Jasdip,

thanks for that information but unfortunately I made them this afternoon and I added 3 tablespoons butter to the squares.

they are cooling now and I am sure they will be ok. I will post later or tomorrow to let you know the outcome. They sure smell good.

Jasdip and all others,

the butter tart squares were delicious. I used jasdips recipe above for square but changed the 1 tea butter to 3 tablespoons .

they are so good. Thanks again to all for putting up with all my questions.