Julia and Mimi's Plant-Based Butter Tarts

As you know, I’ve been experimenting with plant based eating for a few months now. Mimi, my daughter, is a full vegetarian. Together, we swap certain ingredients in meals, because the boys in the house haven’t crossed over fully. I made some cauliflower steaks recently, and the boys were not happy! That’s not going to stop me from swapping ingredients when I can though. I wanted to get a little creative for Easter this weekend, and decided to take my favorite Butter Tart recipe, and go butter-less! I swapped out traditional butter for a plant based alternative. I used the Becel bricks which are plant based, and the great thing is that it tastes just like butter, and bakes like butter, that’s the real test!

For this recipe you will need:

12 tarts

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Stand Time: 2 minutes

375 mL1 1/2 cupsall-purpose flour
1 mL1/4 tsp.salt
125 mL4 ozplus 2 Tbsp. Becel® unsalted plant-based bricks, divided
45 mL3 Tbsp.iced water
10 mL2 tsp.white vinegar, divided
125 mL1/2 cupfirmly packed light brown sugar
60 mL1/4 cupcorn syrup
30 mL2 Tbsp.pure maple syrup
1egg
5 mL1 tsp.vanilla extract
125 mL1/2 cupchopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Grease 12 nonstick muffin cups; set aside.

Combine flour with salt in medium bowl. Cut in Becel® with pastry blender or fingertips, just until large crumbs begin to form. Whisk water with 1 tsp. (5 mL) vinegar. Add just enough water mixture to flour mixture to form dough, while stirring flour mixture with fork. Shape into a ball, then cover with plastic wrap; flatten dough into a disc. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Whisk brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, egg, remaining 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) melted Becel, vanilla and remaining tsp (5 mL) vinegar. Roll dough on lightly floured surface about 0.5 cm thick. Cut out 12 (4-in/10 cm) circles, using a lightly floured glass or circle cutter. Press circles into prepared muffin cups. Fill cups evenly with pecans, then brown sugar mixture.

Bake 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake an additional 10 minutes or until deep golden. Let stand in pan 2 minutes, then remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Jules xo