Butter Tarts

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 1/2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into bits
• 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
• 1 large egg, beaten lightly
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon distilled vinegar
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Recipe

• 1 make the shells: in a processor, blend the flour, sugar, salt, butter and shortening until mixture resembles meal; transfer to a bowl and add 2-3 tblsps of ice water, or enough to form dough; knead dough briefly on a floured surface and chill it, wrapped plastic wrap, for 1 hour; roll out dough 3/8 inch thick on a floured surface, cut into rounds with a 4 1/2 inch cutter, and fit the rounds into 1/3 cup muffin tins.
• 2 make the filling: in a bowl beat the egg, vanilla and butter until well-combined and stir in brown sugar and vinegar; spoon filling into shells and bake in a preheated 400f (205c) oven for 15 minutes; let cool 5 minutes; carefully remove from tins and let cool completely.(filling will be thin and runny while hot but will firm up as it cools).
• 3 note: many like raisins in their butter tarts (i don't); if you are one of them, add 1/4 cup raisins to the filling mixture.