Butter Tarts & Beaver Tails! True Canadian Desserts

Butter Tarts

Pastry

•  400g all purpose flour
• 1 tspn salt
• 210 g cold butter
• 90-150 ml cold water

Filling

• 60 g softened butter
• 340 g of brown sugar
• 2 eggs lightly whisked
• 2 T corn syrup
• 2 t vanilla extract

Pastry instructions

1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Grate butter into the flour. Combine to coat butter with flour.
3. Drizzle cold water in and toss with a fork, till water is absorbed. Bring dough together and form into a disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Filling instructions

1. Using a wooden spoon, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy
2. Stir in eggs
3. Add corn syrup and vanilla
4. Mix till smooth, do not over mix. Over mixing will cause filling to sink

Assembly

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Grease a 12-tin muffin pan (silicone works best for this)
3. Remove dough from fridge and divine into 12 pieces.
4. Roll out each piece into a round shape, large enough to cover the inside of the muffin tin.
5. Place dough in muffin tin, gathering the top and pinching excess together.
6. Pour filling evenly into each tin, use all the filling.
7. Bake for 30 minutes until crust is golden and centers are bubbling.

Beaver Tails

Ingredients

• 170g warm milk
• 8g of dry active yeast
• 30g of sugar
• 1 egg
• 30g melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 300-350g of flour

Topping

• Cinnamon sugar topping
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon 

Directions

1. In a mixer bowl combine warm milk and yeast. Let rest for 5 mins or till foamy.
2. Add in the egg, butter, vanilla, salt and sugar, mix
3. Add in flour and kneed for 8-10 minutes, till soft dough forms and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
4. Allow dough to rest for 1hr at room temp
5. Divide into 6 tails (approximately 100g each). Form into elongated ovals and let rest for 15-20 mins.
6. Heat up oil in a deep pot or deep fryer. Use flavourless oil. Heat to 350 degrees.  
7. Fry beaver tails approx. 1-2 minutes per side.
8. Immediately dip in Cinnamon sugar mixture or top any way you like.