Mini Butterscotch Tarts Recipe

Introduction

Mini Butterscotch Tarts are a delightful treat featuring a buttery, flaky crust filled with rich, creamy butterscotch and a hint of sea salt. These individual-sized tarts are perfect for special occasions or any time you crave a sweet indulgence with a beautiful presentation.

Ingredients

• Shortcrust Pastry:
• 250 grams plain/all-purpose flour
• 50 grams icing sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 120 grams unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
• 1 large egg
• Butterscotch Filling:
• 250 grams brown sugar
• 90 grams unsalted butter
• 120 ml thickened/heavy cream, warmed
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a food processor, combine flour, icing sugar, and salt. Pulse briefly. Add cold, cubed butter and blend until mixture resembles fine, sandy crumbs.
2. Step 2: Crack in the egg and mix until the dough forms a ball that holds its shape when pressed. If too dry, add a few drops of ice-cold water and mix again.
3. Step 3: Form the dough into a disk between two sheets of baking paper. Roll out evenly to about 4mm (1/8 inch) thickness. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
4. Step 4: Remove baking paper. Using a round or fluted cutter slightly wider than your muffin cups, cut out pastry disks. Re-roll scraps as needed and chill again before cutting more.
5. Step 5: Gently press each pastry disk into muffin pans, removing any air bubbles by pressing into corners. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results.
6. Step 6: Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Prick the bottoms of crusts with a fork. Freeze the pan briefly while oven heats to prevent shrinking.
7. Step 7: Place crumpled baking paper and pie weights or dried beans on each crust. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove weights and paper. Bake 12–15 minutes more until dry and lightly golden. Cool completely.
8. Step 8: Warm the cream in a small bowl until just warm. In a saucepan, melt brown sugar and butter over low-medium heat, stirring until smooth. Simmer gently for a couple of minutes.
9. Step 9: Carefully stir warm cream into the sugar mixture (it may bubble). Cook gently for 2 more minutes until silky. Stir in vanilla and sea salt, simmering 3–5 minutes to thicken slightly.
10. Step 10: Pour hot butterscotch sauce into a jug, then immediately fill tart shells. Tap gently to remove air bubbles and smooth tops.
11. Step 11: Chill tarts in fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight until filling is thickened and set. Serve and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

• Use a rolling pin with thickness rings for an even pastry thickness.
• Test cutter size by fitting one disk into your muffin pan before cutting all.
• Let pastry soften briefly at room temperature if too hard, but chill again if too soft.
• Warm cream helps prevent sugar crystallization and splattering when making the filling.
• Use pie weights, dried beans, or rice to keep crusts from puffing during blind baking.
• Serve with fresh berries, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream for extra indulgence.

Storage

Store Mini Butterscotch Tarts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The filling will stay creamy and the crust crisp. Reheat briefly at room temperature before serving if desired, but do not microwave as it may soften the crust.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the pastry dough ahead of time?

Yes, the dough can be made up to 24 hours ahead and kept chilled in the fridge or frozen for longer storage. Let it soften slightly before rolling out.

What if my butterscotch sauce looks separated?

It’s normal for the butter and sugar to look separate during cooking. Stir continuously and the sauce will come together, becoming smooth and thick as it cools.

Mini Butterscotch Tarts Recipe

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4.4 from 62 reviews

Mini Butterscotch Tarts feature a buttery, flaky shortcrust pastry filled with a rich, creamy butterscotch filling enhanced with vanilla and a hint of sea salt. Perfect for parties or special occasions, these individual-sized tarts offer a luscious caramel-like flavor fused with a crisp texture, making them an irresistible dessert delight.

• Author: Lisa
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: 18 mini tarts 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Shortcrust Pastry

• 250 gram Plain / All-Purpose Flour
• 50 gram Icing Sugar
• 1 pinch Salt
• 120 gram Unsalted Butter, very cold, cubed
• 1 large Egg

Butterscotch Filling

• 250 gram Brown Sugar
• 90 gram Unsalted Butter
• 120 ml Thickened / Heavy Cream, warm
• 1 tsp Vanilla Paste or vanilla extract
• 1 tsp Sea Salt

Instructions

1. Prepare Shortcrust Pastry: Add plain flour, icing sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add cold, cubed butter and blend until the mixture resembles fine, sandy crumbs. Crack in the egg and mix until the dough comes together. If it’s too dry, add a few drops of ice-cold water until it holds shape when pressed.
2. Chill and Roll Dough: Gather dough into a ball, place between two sheets of baking paper, and roll out evenly to about 4mm (1/8 inch) thickness. Transfer to a tray and chill in the fridge for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.
3. Cut and Fit Pastry into Muffin Pan: Remove dough from fridge, peel off baking paper and use a round or fluted cookie cutter to cut disks sized to fit muffin cup openings. Gather scraps, re-roll, and chill again before cutting more. Press each disk into muffin cups ensuring no air bubbles, shaping the sides to fit snugly.
4. Chill Before Baking: Return the muffin pan with pastry shells to the fridge and let chill for at least one hour or overnight for best results.
5. Prepare for Blind Baking: Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Prick pastry bottoms with a fork to prevent air pockets. Place the pan in the freezer while oven preheats. Cover pastry shells with crumpled baking paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or rice.
6. Bake Pastry Shells: Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove weights and baking paper. Return to oven and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes or until shells are dry to the touch and fully baked. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
7. Warm Cream: Heat heavy cream in microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until warm. Set aside.
8. Make Butterscotch Filling: In a small saucepan, melt brown sugar and cubed butter over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until fully melted and simmering gently for a few minutes.
9. Combine Cream and Butterscotch: Carefully pour warm cream into the sugar-butter mixture, stirring continuously to combine until smooth. Cook on low-medium heat for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
10. Finish Filling: Stir in vanilla paste and sea salt, mixing well. Simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
11. Fill Tart Shells: Pour hot butterscotch sauce immediately into the cooled tart shells. Tap the pan gently to release air bubbles and level the filling.
12. Chill and Set: Refrigerate tarts for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best texture, until filling is thick and set.

Notes

• Use a rolling pin with thickness rings to ensure even dough thickness.
• If pastry feels too hard from the fridge, let it sit briefly at room temperature before rolling; chill again if it becomes too soft.
• Large crumbs in pastry yield flakier crust; this recipe prefers finer crumbs to prevent puffing.
• The butterscotch mixture may appear split initially; continue stirring as it will come together.
• Use warm cream to prevent sugar crystallization and splattering.
• Filling starts thin but thickens as it cools, providing the desired texture.
• Chilling tart shells before baking and freezing during preheating helps maintain shape.

Keywords: Mini Butterscotch Tarts, Butterscotch Dessert, Tartlets, Pastry, Caramel Dessert, Individual Tarts