Paleo Butter Tarts

Until recently, I didn’t realize most Americans don’t know what Butter Tarts are. I expected ignorance about Nanaimo Bars, but Butter Tarts? Boy are you guys missing out. If you’d grown up in Southern Ontario as I did, you’d have eaten your body weight in these by the age of 30. Of course, I didn’t know what Buckeyes (the dessert) were until my Ohio-born husband enlightened me after marriage, so I can hardly judge.

Basically, Butter Tarts are sticky little raisin pies. Imagine Pecan Pie without the nuts and dotted with raisins and you’ve got the right idea. As with many classic desserts, there are points of contention among enthusiasts. Runny filling or firm? With walnuts or without? Although I love nuts and generally prefer things on the drippy side, when it comes to the sacred BT, I’m staunchly in the firm filling/no-nuts camps, so prepared this healthier version accordingly. Feel free to adjust to your own tastes, though. Now you’ve got a new dessert, plus a bit of trivia to share with your friends.

Crust (note: must be frozen in advance of preparing tarts):
1/2 cup sifted coconut flour
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2T honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 tsp salt

In a small bowl, sift coconut flour and stir together with almond flour and salt. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat eggs with honey and coconut oil. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir. Knead together with your hands briefly until a smooth dough forms. If the dough feels too soft and sticky to roll, knead in a little more sifted coconut flour. 

Form dough into a ball and roll out onto a coconut-flour-dusted Silpat mat or other clean work surface (or between two sheets of waxed paper). Cut into muffin-tin-sized circles with large wine glass or cookie cutter. Place circles into greased muffin tin or one lined with paper liners (this is what I did – much easier to remove). Alternatively, you can use a silicone muffin or tart tin.

Patch any cracks with bits of dough as needed to eliminate holes in shells. Wrap muffin tin in a plastic bag and freeze for at least three hours.

Filling:
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup coconut (palm) sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 cup coconut nectar or maple syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 drops Medicine Flower vanilla extract or 1 tsp regular vanilla extract
1 drop Medicine Flower walnut extract (optional)

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let stand for 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, stir together softened butter, coconut sugar, salt and coconut nectar until mixture is well combined, sugar is dissolved and butter is creamed. Add beaten egg and extracts and mix well.

Drain raisins. Remove tart shells from freezer and divide raisins equally among them, placing in bottom of shells. Pour filling into tart shells, leaving a tiny rim at the top (you don't have to worry about the filling rising, as there is no leavening agent, but the middles will bubble up whilst baking). Bake for about 15 minutes, until filling is brown and bubbling. Makes 9-10 tarts.