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Foodie Madness

Canadian delicacies

Discover the recipe that represents Canada

The butter tart is a treat that just screams Canadian summer. The classic butter tart has a flaky pastry filled with a sticky sweet gooey inside that is either plain or filled with raisins. It is also a sure way to get a summer sugar rush. For Foodie Madness, I wanted to showcase the butter tart with a twist, making it double chocolate. This recipe swaps out some of the sweetness with a cocoa pastry and filling it with coconut sugar, maple syrup (of course), and good dark chocolate.

Kortney Kwong Hing

Kortney Kwong Hing - allergy girl eats

Just because I have food allergies doesn't mean I don't love to eat! Instead of becoming paralysed by the limitations of my food allergies, I have embraced them and turned them into a passion, a passion for all things delicious! My blog explores how simple and empowering cooking can be. 

Ingredients

Ingredient for 12 tarts, with some leftover pastry
Pastry 
 • 2 cups All purpose flour
 • 1/2 cup Good cocoa
 • 2 tbsp Coconut sugar
 • 1/2 tsp Salt
 • 1 cup Unsalted butter - cold & cut into cubes
 • 5-7 tbsp Cold water
 • Extra flour for dusting
Filling
 • 1/3 cup Unsalted butter - softened
 • 3/4 cup Coconut sugar
 • 1/4 cup Maple syrup
 • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
 • 2 Eggs
 • 1/4 cup Good dark chocolate - chopped into tiny pieces
Equipment
 • Large mixing bowl, wooden spoon & whisk
 • Plastic wrap
 • Rolling pin
 • Pairing knife
 • 12 cup muffin tray

Instructions

Pastry 
1 Mix flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt.
2 Cut the butter into flour and work it until the dough looks like coarse sand. You can also use your hands for this - just make sure to work fast.
3 Add enough water to bring the dough together - mix with wooden spoon or your hands. 
4 Turn the dough out and knead three to four times.
5 Divide dough in two and shape each piece into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and place in the fridge for at least two hours. 
Filling
 1 While the pastry is in the fridge make the filling. 
 2 Cream butter and coconut sugar until it turns a lighter colour.
 3 Using a whisk or hand mixer add the maple syrup and vanilla to the butter mixture. 
 4 Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time. Mix as well as you can - this will look a little clumpy.
Make the Tarts
 1 This recipe makes 12 butter tarts (you may have a little extra dough that you can bake later and enjoy as a snack)
 2 Preheat the oven to 375°.
 3 Take the dough out of the fridge. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface; it should be a little thinner than 1/4 inch. 
 4 Cut the dough into six circles. The size of the circle should be double the size of your muffin cup - large enough to cover the bottom and sides.
 5 Lightly press dough into the muffin cups- you will have to create a ripple on the side to make this work (looks like a flower).
 6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the second disk of dough. 
 7 Sprinkle the chocolate evenly onto the bottom of the each tart shell - save roughly a quarter of the chocolate for later.
 8 Divide the filling evenly amongst the 12 tarts. It should be just under the top of the pastry - this will bubble up in the oven but come back down when cooled. 
 9 Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. 
 10 When the tarts are just out of the oven, sprinkle the rest of the chocolate on top of each one, so it melts.
 11 Let the tarts cool in the muffin tray. Score around the tart and gently lift them out.

Local gastronomy

Canada is a melting pot of people and foodie delights. Depending on where you come from in the country, your sense of local cuisine is heavily influenced by your community and heritage. Take Toronto, it is known for its distinct neighbourhoods like Little India or Little Jamaica. This quilt of cultures means dim sum, paneer, or pirogies are no stranger to a Torontonian's dinner plate. As much as outside food inspires the everyday palette of Canadians, Canada does have its unique culinary contributions. Classic staples include poutine and tourtière for the savoury fans, or sweet delights like the Nanaimo bar, beaver tail, and of course the butter tart. Canadian food is full on comfort food, whether it is full of melted cheese or dripping with maple syrup; it is bound to make your taste buds say: "sorry, may I please have seconds!?"

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