Welcome to my little recipe box on the net. This is a place for me to share my family's favourite recipes with friends and relatives. Some have been handed down through the generations and some I have just collected over the years. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do and that I don't make you too hungry. *g*
Butter Tarts
Here is another Christmas favourite in our family. These are uniquely Canadian but if you are looking for a comparison, you might compare them to the American Pecan Pie or the British Treacle Tart, although I was not brought up putting nuts in my tarts. Some people do. Some people use raisins instead of currants but to me that would make it a raisin tart, not a Canadian butter tart. Here is my recipe for Butter Tarts and my pastry recipe that I use with it.
Butter Tarts
4 eggs
4 cups brown sugar
4 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup melted butter
2 2/3 cups currants
Beat egg only until well blended. Beat in sugar and add vinegar. Stir in melted butter and currants.
Line the tart tins with
vinegar pastry and fill 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is firm.
Vinegar Pastry
Vinegar Pastry
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/3 cups shortening
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp vinegar
cold water as required
Combine dry ingredients. Cut in shortening. Beat one egg, add 1 tbsp vinegar and cold water to make 3/4 cup of liquid. Add dry ingredients. Refrigerate for half an hour before rolling out.
Nanaimo Bars
With Christmas coming up, I thought I would start with one of my family's favourite treats. I grew up with these at home during Christmas and at family gatherings. The origins of these treats are a little in dispute but all sources agree they originated here on Vancouver Island or Vancouver. I have also collected a few variations which have been circulating over the last few years. I hope you enjoy them as much we all do. Nanaimo Bars
1/2 cup butter 3 to 5 tbsp cocoa 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/4 cup white sugar 1 beaten egg 2 cup crushed graham wafers 1 cup coconut 1/4 cup butter 2 cup icing sugar 2 tbsp custard powder 3 tbsp milk 3 to 4 squares semi-sweet chocolate 1 tbsp butter Melt butter, cocoa and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Add egg and vanilla, add graham wafers, walnuts & coconuts. Press into 8x8 cake pan. Cream margarine. Combine with milk and custard. Add to butter. Blend in icing sugar. Spread over first layer. Melt margarine and chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Spread on top of other layers. Chill until firm. Cut and serve. To store: Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks before cutting. Variation: Mint Filling
1/3 cup butter 3 tbsp custard powder 1/4 cup milk 3 cups icing sugar 1 tsp peppermint flavouring 1 to 2 drops green food colouring as desired Variation: Cappuccino Filling
2 tbsp milk 3 tbsp butter 2 tsp instant coffee 1/2 tsp vanilla 2 cups icing sugar Variation: Bailey's Irish Cream
1/3 cup butter 3 tbsp custard powder 1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream 2 to 3 cups icing sugar
Nanaimo Bars - Cranberry
Cranberry Nanaimo BarsBase:
1/2 cup butter, softened 3 squares semi-sweet chocolate 2 tbsp sugar 1 egg 2 cup graham wafer crumbs 1 cup coconut 1 tbsp grated orange rind Melt butter with chocolate and remove from heat. Stir in sugar and egg. Add crumbs, coconut and orange rind; mix well. Press into 9-inch square pan. Chill.
Cranberry Layer:
1/4 cup whole cranberry sauce, chopped 1 tbsp orange liqueur or orange juice Combine cranberry sauce and liqueur. Spread evenly over base.
Custard Layer:
2 tbsp custard powder 3 tbsp milk 1/4 cup butter, softened 2 cup icing sugar Using electric mixer, beat together all ingredients. Spread over base. Chill.
Chocolate Layer:
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate, chopped 1 tbsp butter Melt chocolate and butter over low heat or in microwave on medium power for 2 minutes, stir until melted. Spread evenly over filling. Chill. Let stand at room temperature for fifteen minutes before cutting into bars.
To store: Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks before cutting.
Nanaimo Bars - Cherry Almond
Cherry Almond Nanaimo Bars
Base:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1 beaten egg
1 cup coconut
1 3/4 cups graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup chopped almonds
Cook butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and egg in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until custard begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in coconut, crumbs and almonds. Pat firmly into a greased 9-inch square pan. Chill for 1 hour.
Filling:
1/4 cup soft butter
1 tbsp cherry juice
2 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup chopped
Maraschino cherries
Cream butter, cherry juice and extract. Gradually beat in icing sugar to a make a smooth spreading consistency. Stir in cherries. Spread over base and chill until firm.
Topping:
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 tbsp margarine
Heat chocolate and margarine, stirring until smoothly melted. Drizzle chocolate over filling. Chill. Cut into bars. Will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks. Freezes well.
Nanaimo Bars - Grand Marnier
Grand Marnier Nanaimo Bars
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
2/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
In bowl, stir together crumbs, coconut and pecans. In small saucepan, gently heat margarine, cocoa and sugar until margarine melts. Remove from heat; whisk in egg. Blend into crumb mixture. Press into greased 9-inch square cake pan. Bake in 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Let cool on rack.
Grand Marnier Layer:
2 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup soft margarine
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
1 tbsp grated orange rind
In bowl, place half of icing sugar with margarine, mix in half of the icing sugar with margarine; mix in Grand Marnier, remaining icing sugar and orange rind. Spread over base.
Chocolate Topping:
1 tbsp margarine
4 squares melted semi-sweet chocolate
Stir margarine into chocolate until melted; spread evenly over Grand Marnier layer. Let cool for 20 minutes in refrigerator; cut into bars.
Nanaimo Bars - Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars
Base:
3 squares semi-sweet chocolate 1/2 cup butter 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 egg 2 cup graham wafer crumbs 1 cup coconut 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Melt chocolate and butter in microwave on high power 2 minutes. Mix in sugar, vanilla and egg. Add crumbs, coconut and walnuts. Press into 9-inch square pan. Chill.
Filling:
2 tbsp custard powder 1/4 cup milk 2 tbsp soft butter½ cup smooth peanut butter 2 cups icing sugar
Using electric mixer, beat together all ingredients. Spread over base. Chill.
Icing:
5 squares chopped semi-sweet chocolate 1 tbsp butter
Melt chocolate with butter in saucepan on medium power 3 to 4 minutes. Spread over filling.
