Did you know that butter tarts are a Canadian dessert?

Steve Hodge is the owner and chef at West Vancouver’s Temper Chocolate and Pastry, a judge on the Great Chocolate Showdown, and a cohost of the TV series Project Bakeover.

So he clearly knows how to make tarts that’ll win over the most judgmental of hearts.

He’s sharing his secrets in the recipe below.

Butter tarts

Pâte brisée dough 
1 ¼ cup AP flour
1/3 cup pastry flour
1 ½ tsp  salt
1 ½ cup cold butter
¼ cup cold shortening
ice water (as needed)

Directions 
Place both flours, salt, butter and shortening in a food processor.
Pulse a few times to break up the butter and the dough start to form.
Add ice water little by little enough to bring the dough together—do not over mix.
Knead lightly, wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Next day pull from fridge and roll out to 1 cm thick. 
Cut 2 inch rings and place into greased muffin tins 
Then fill with filling (see below) leaving about 1/2 inch to top and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. 

Butter tart filling 

Ingredients
1 ¼ cup butter
2 ½ cup brown sugar
5 eggs
1 ½ tbsp vanilla extract
¾ cup cream 
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ cup maple syrup
1 ½ cup raisins   

Directions
Cream together brown sugar and butter, vanilla extract, and salt until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, and mix well. 
Then add cream, syrup, and raisins, and let sit in fridge overnight.
Pull from fridge when rolling dough out.