DAVE'S EASY TO MAKE HOMEMADE BUTTER TART SURPRISE RECIPE

I have an enormous "Sweet Tooth". I love eating desserts. I figured that since I am quite comfortable in the kitchen, why not learn an easy technique for baking up some of the yummie dessert dishes I enjoy and then doing a little experimenting with tastes to make it my own. So that is what I've done.

Here is my recipe inspired by my love for "Butter Tarts".

This is no ordinary butter tart though there is a hidden surprise in every bite.

The pastry recipe is just enough for (6) full sized tarts or for (1) 9" Pie. You can double or triple the recipe depending on how much of a sweet tooth you happen to have and how many tarts or pies you wish to bake at one time.

The filling recipe is enough for (2) pies.

PIE CRUST

1-1/3 Cups of general purpose flour

1/4 Cup of either Cashews, or Pecans, or Almonds (ground down in you blender)

1/2 T - spoon salt

1/2 Stick Crisco Shortening (keep cold or chilled till needed)

3-6 T - spoon cold water

Combine flour salt and ground nuts in a mixing bowl

Cut in your cold mixing all ingredients until mixture is course and crumbly

slowly add in 3 T- spoons of cold water only add more if necessary

refrigerate you dough for about 30 minutes to chill



BUTTER TART FILLING

Im a medium saucepan on medium to high heat Combine the following

2/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

2/3 Cup Corn Syrup or Maple Syrup

2 Table-spoons of Dark Raisins

1 Table-spoon Currants

5 Table Spoons of butter ( unsalted or salted make no difference) I like salted personally

1/2 T-Spoon Cinnamon

1/2 T-spoon Nutmeg

1 Table Spoon of Brandy or Brandy Essence

The juice of 1/2 a Lemon

The zest of one half of your 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup chopped Pecans or Cashews

Whisk all the ingredients together until everything becomes thick and pasty. If necessary add in a little corn starch for thickening. Turn off your heat and let sit while you roll out your dough.

BAKING PREP

Pre-Heat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake on middle rack



Dust with flour your Tart tray or your Pie tray

Dust your counter top with a bit of flour and roll out your pastry to about 1/4" thickness and start to section out your rolled dough for your tarts. Position your crust into as many tart spaces as you have made dough for or place it in your pie pan.



THE SURPRISE

Here is what makes it a surprise using either "Baker's" Bitter-Sweet or Semi-Sweet Chocolate grate in several slivers of the chocolate until the bottom is covered.



Spoon in your filling until almost to the top of your crust.

Bake for not more than 20 minutes. Pie crust should be a golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool thoroughly

Once cooled it's time to dive in and enjoy.