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When you mention sweet treats, the first thing that comes to my mind is butter tarts. I’ll sometimes bake a couple dozen or so if my kids are coming for a visit, or for a weekend stay with old Dad, and on rare occasions I’ll indulge in the guilty pleasure of mixing up a batch just for myself. They go so good with my afternoon mug of tea or-even more sinfully-with my morning two cups of coffee-cream, no sugar. Because they’re so sweet and calorie-packed, I try to give my butter tarts some redeeming nutritional value by using whole wheat flour for the pastry shells. I realize whole wheat flour doesn’t make for nice, light, flakey pastry, but nobody eats butter tarts for the pastry part anyway. Without necessarily measuring too carefully-because life is too short as it is-I combine the eggs, melted butter (I’ve sometimes thought of substituting ghee, but never have), brown sugar, eggs, corn syrup (or Lyle’s Golden Syrup if I can find it), bit o’ salt, vanilla and/or almond and/or rum flavouring (I’ve sometimes thought of using real rum, but I still find it awkward to serve alcohol to my adult kids), and mix ‘em all up real good. I know there’s a debate among butter tart aficionados as to whether the tart filling should be gooey and runny or cakey and substantial. How the filling turns out doesn’t really matter so much to me, as long as there’s enough of it. There are few things more pathetic than those store-bought butter tarts that have only a thin skim of sweet, sludgy, something-or-other smeared over the bottom of the pastry shell. So, I load up the empty tarts with the traditional chopped walnuts and raisins, or sometimes substitute-or add-chopped pecans and dried cranberries. And if I think of it, I may even include some shredded coconut if I happen to have any. Chocolate chips, too. Why not? YOLO Speaking of dried cranberries, I always try to have a stash on hand, and stock up at the local bulk food store on Seniors’ Discount Wednesdays. Every once in a while, one of the store clerks will ask me if I’m really a senior before giving me my discount; that always makes my day. I’ll add dried cranberries to my steel-cut oats porridge in the morning, as well as to the scones I’ve started baking for afternoon tea ever since Alyssa started her All Six Novels of Jane Austen-a-thon. And yes, although I know Miss Austen would disapprove, I dunk my scones into my tea. I’ve also found that a handful or two of dried cranberries make a nice complement to curry, shawarma, and harissa dishes. Besides adding a note of colour, the tangy, sweet, chewy texture of the cranberries goes well with hot spicy food. But getting back to the butter tarts, once the pastry shells are filled to the gunwales with nuts and berries, I pour the liquid filling over them. If I don’t have enough filling to top up every tart shell, I’ll add some maple syrup. Then it’s into the oven, which may or may not be pre-heated, until they’re done. Through experience, I’ve learned that it’s best to let the tarts cool right down before trying to remove them from the muffin tin. Your patience will be rewarded. There are few things more satisfying than extricating a dozen or so butter tarts from a muffin tin without breaking the pastry crust of a single one.
i need to make some butter tarts asap!! i've never had any before, but they sound so good and versatile! i'll prob skip the walnuts (allergy 😦)!! dried cranberries are also such a delight in any dish!!
I’ve recently been rediscovering my love for fountain pens I actually need to buy a few new ones so I might check out the ones you recommended. I will add The Extinction of Irena Rey to my long TBR list.
this was so cute kiran! LOVING the pen chat (i always want to hear about everyone's niche obsessions lol) but as a smudgy left-handed writer, i can only admire from afar haha x
omg ty!! well, i haven't looked into this too much but i have heard that there are fountain pens made for left handed people!! might be worth checking out x
Ok, super curious about the irena rey book. Sorry to hear youre not having a good time with booker books tho. And I am watching this pen section with hella hesitation because it feels like the slipperiest slope😂 I had no idea there were podcasts on it?!? But im curious!???? But also -- slippery slope!
yes!! i've been watching/listening to the pencast by goulet. i've been charmed, its such a chill thing to have on in the background. lmk if u check out irena rey, i think you'd enjoy it!!
You had me at fountain pen. They look fantastic and I saw a colleague had one! With these starter pens - do you need a specific paper quality to enjoy it? I've been way too into paper quality because I thought I needed water colours in my bullet journal.
different paper def lends the fountain pen a different quality. i would say, my pens seem to work well on most paper but they dont love plain old computer paper. thats so cool that you use water colors!! i am always so impressed by the things people can create w/ water colors
@@kiranreader It is more of a "bought all the supplies and got distracted" situation. But I have used it every now and then. I think one issue is that the feel of writing on that thick coarse paper is really off-putting. OK to use the water colours but terrible for anything else.
ooooohhh ... getting into fountain pens. i've been there haha. i think it can be nice to slow down and appreciate the pens you have for a while like it seems like you are aiming to do for now. from my experience, it can sometimes be easy for the hobby to get out of hand and then all of the sudden you're spending as much on a pen as utilities. :P
