End your Sunday nights with a classic Canadian treat — maple butter tart pie.

Try your hand at this divine recipe, which takes the nationally revered butter tart and makes it even better by turning it into a whole decadent pie, subtly flavoured with our next favourite thing, maple syrup. What does that mean for your final course of the day? As large a portion as you desire and more of that sugary, buttery filling in every single bite. Oh, Canada!
 

 

Ingredients

• 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup lard or shortening
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp ice cold water
• 1-1/2 cups pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp white vinegar

Directions

1 In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and lard, and pulse to a fine crumble.

2 Add the egg and water. Process the mixture to a loose, crumbly meal.

3 Work the pastry into a 1"-thick round disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into a ¼"-thick and 12"-round disc.

4 Roll the pastry around a rolling pin.

5 Unroll over a 9-½" springform pan.

6 Work the pastry into the edges of the pan, forming a loose, wavy crust. Chill for 10 minutes.

7 To blind bake the pastry shell, line the pastry with parchment paper and cover the bottom with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 350ºF; remove the parchment paper and pie weights.

8 To make the filling, whisk together the maple syrup, sugar, melted butter, eggs and vinegar in a bowl.

9 Pour the mixture into the baked shell and place the pie on a baking sheet.

10 Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour on the centre rack of the oven. The pie is done when the top is golden brown but the centre is still wobbly. Let cool before serving.

Serves 8 to 10.

(This recipe was originally featured in our October 2014 issue.)