Photo of Butter Tarts by WW

Butter Tarts

9
Points® value
Total Time
38 min
Prep
25 min
Cook
13 min
Serves
12
Difficulty
Moderate
These pastries almost taste too sweet to be low in PersonalPoints values. While they require cooling time, try to grab on while it's still gooey and warm.

Ingredients

All-purpose flour

1 cup(s), divided

Mineral water

3 tbsp(s)

White vinegar

1 tsp(s)

Sugar

2 tbsp(s), granulated

Table salt

¼ tsp(s)

Soybean cottonseed shortening

¼ cup(s)

Unpacked brown sugar

1 cup(s), sifted

Fat-free skim milk

2 tbsp(s), or cream (skim (fat-free) milk can be used)

Raw egg

1 large, beaten

Vanilla extract

1 tsp(s), or maple extract

Fresh currants

½ cup(s), or raisins

Butter

cup(s)

Instructions

  1. Pastry
  2. Combine ¼ cup flour, water and white vinegar stirring with a whisk until well blended.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine ¾ cup flour, granulated sugar and salt; cut in room-temperature shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
  4. Pour the “liquid” over the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until all of the mixture is moistened.
  5. Shape dough into a ball and place on heavy duty plastic wrap; cover with an additional piece of plastic wrap. Roll into a circle and chill dough in freezer for 10 minutes.
  6. Dust rolling pin and work surface lightly with flour.
  7. Remove dough from freezer and let stand for 1 minute or until pliable.
  8. Roll dough to a uniform thickness and cut out 12/24 tart-shaped pieces.
  9. Place dough into bottom and up sides of each “muffin” cup to form tart shells.
  10. Filling
  11. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  12. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar.
  13. Gradually beat in the milk and egg until blended.
  14. Stir in the vanilla extract and currants.
  15. Place spoonfuls of mixture into pastry-lined tart tins.
  16. Bake for 8 minutes and then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until pastry is delicately browned.
  17. Let cool before removing from tart tins.

Notes

Each pastry should be three inches in diameter and one inch tall.