GOOEY BUTTER TARTS

Gooey Butter Tarts image

Provided by MarieRynr

Categories Tarts

Time 1h12m

Yield 12 tarts

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup shortening, cubed
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vinegar
ice water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup currants, raisins, chopped pecans (I use half raisins and half chopped nuts, and I don't actually measure them, I just drop a bit of ea) or 1/4 cup flaked coconut (I use half raisins and half chopped nuts, and I don't actually measure them, I just drop a bit of ea)

Steps:

In a large bowl, stir flour with salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter and shortening until mixture rexembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces.
In liquid measure, whisk egg yolk with vinegar; add enough ice water to make 1/3 cup. Gradually sprinkle over flour mixture, stirring briskly with fork until pastry hold together. press into disc; wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
In bowl, vigorously whisk together brown sugar, corn syrup, egg, butter, vanilla, vinegar and salt; set aside.
On lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a 4 inch round cookie cutter cut out 12 circles, rerolling scraps once if necessary. Fit into 2 3/4 inch by 1 1/4 inch muffin cups. Divide currants among cups. Spoon in filling until three quarters full.
Bake in bottom third of 450*F oven for about 12 minutes or until filling is puffed and bubbly and pastry is golden. Let stand on rack for 1 minute. Immediately run spatula around tarts to loosen; transfer to rack and let cool.
CHOCOLATE GOOEY BUTTER TARTS: Drizzle cooled tarts with 2 ounces melted semisweet or white chocolate.
NOT SO GOOEY BUTTER TARTS: Increase brown sugar to 3/4 cup and decrease corn syrup to 1/4 cup.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 236.2, Fat 10.9, SaturatedFat 5, Cholesterol 48.6, Sodium 113.1, Carbohydrate 33, Fiber 0.6, Sugar 14.4, Protein 2.5