Raisin Butter Tarts

Quite awhile ago our town had its local county fair.  As part of the festivities they had Canadian chefs come and give cooking demonstrations. One of these chefs was Anna Olson.  I confess I dutifully watch her show and have prepared many of her recipes.  I find her recipes quite varied, and generally easy to prepare without too many weird ingredients. While at the fair she gave the audience this recipe for no fail pie dough and her raisin butter tarts.  I finally got around to making the tarts today.  They were very good and the pie dough was very easy to work with.  I have been pie dough converted!

ANNA’S RAISIN BUTTER TARTS
These butter tarts have that just-right filling – a little gooey but not too drippy. I like to use golden raisins because they are not as sweet as Thompson raisins.
Makes 12 butter tarts
Pastry:
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup cool unsalted butter
1 large egg
2 tbsp cold water
Filling:
¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
¾ cup corn syrup
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup golden raisins
1. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut butter into small pieces (you can pull the butter from the fridge 30 minutes before adding) and add to flour, mixing until dough is a rough, crumbly texture. Whisk egg and water and add at once, mixing until dough comes together. Shape dough into 2 logs, wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
3. Lightly dust a worksurface with flour and unwrap pastry logs. Slice each log into six pieces. Roll each piece to about ¼-inch thickness and line each muffin cup (you can trim the crust, or leave the “ruffle” of pastry for a pretty effect once it bakes. Chill lined muffin tin while preparing filling.
4. Whisk sugar, corn syrup and butter in a bowl by hand until combined. Whisk in eggs, then vinegar and vanilla. Sprinkle a few raisins in the bottom of each muffin cup and pour filling over the raisins. Bake muffins for 5 minutes, then reduce oven to 375 F and continue baking until butter tart filling starts to dome, about 20 more minutes. Cool tarts in the tin, and chill the tarts in the tin before removing.