Toronto’s Best Butter Tarts Aren’t in Toronto
I’ve been obsessing over this lately and I have come to the conclusion that in Toronto, you can’t get a decent butter tart. The options seem to be between supermarket, mass produced monstrosities (with tasteless, bland pastry and gelatinous, corn syrup interiors) and high-end four-dollar works of art.
A butter tart is a homey, simple thing. It should be a little clunky and not too sophisticated. It should offer thick, flaky and buttery pastry, ideally with a consistency close to shortbread. Its interior should be rich, syrupy and in keeping with the name of the tart, buttery! When you bite into the tart, the filling should immediately start to ooze. Acceptable inclusions to the tart’s filling? Pecans or walnuts. Raisins are completely unacceptable. Frankly, if done correctly, than the tart does not need any add-ons.
I’ve looked at some of the old posts about butter tarts in Toronto, and I’ve pretty much been disappointed by most places, though I’ve yet to get to the Hot Oven in Etobicoke. They all seem to lack something. Which brings me to my point. During the summer, I happily visited the Farmers Market at Nathan Phillips Square and bought the tarts made by one of the farmers. These tarts sold 6 for 8 bucks, and hit all my requirements.
Now we’re into November, I can’t rely on this source any more. My sister in law’s recent trip to cottage country brought back the amazing butter tarts made by a small bakery in Haliburton – the Ingoldsby Junction Buttertarts Café. These tarts are, as the kids say, off the hook! Super flaky pastry barely holding back the impending ooze, these fragile babies need to be handled with care or they erupt. They obviously use brown sugar for the filling, and occasionally, a clump of sugar may caramelize with the pastry to form a startlingly delicious new form of candy.
So with the long winter coming, I’m hoping someone can give me a recommendation. Hopefully, some place reachable by TTC?
Pantz
Nov 03, 2006 10:55PM
View »
Video
Ingoldsby's are pretty good, but tell you sister to grab some from Yummy's just west of Argyle next time. It's on the way to Haliburton, on the Glen Arm Sideroad.
This summer we did a taste off between Ingoldsby's and the ones from Yummy's. Yummy's won. Some liked the filling better, but IIRC we thought the crust from Ingoldsby was a little too dry (only shortening possibly?). Mind you, I think that butter tarts should contain raisins so you can take my opinion as you will.
Can't help you in Toronto unfortunately,
Permalink | Reply
I'm going to have to agree about the raisins, my mom makes insane butter tarts and they have raisins and are delicious
Permalink | Reply
Those yummy ones are nasty - my kids wouldn't even eat them.
The place at the corner in argyle are very good.
They have good coffee as well - so it is a good place to stop.
The ingoldsby ones are very good - but a bit steep in price - almost 10 bucks for 6.
Permalink | Reply
Do not bother with Hot Oven - they are not good, at least not in the way that you and I "know" good.
There IS a drippy buttery tart in Toronto! It is excellent and homestyle. Be careful because the filling RUNS out! It is a small french bakery in a strip mall. I believe it is called Patisserie Daudet. It is in the mall with McDonalds, Brunos and the TD Bank. 4335 Bloor Street West. Just west of the 427. I really hope you try it and of course that you love it.
In a pinch, Dufflet has a very good small butter tart that is very buttery, just not runny. I imagine if you heated it, it would loosen right up. I think it is a very good balance of flavours...had one yesterday.
Permalink | Reply
UPDATE: Although I think Daudet is still the better runny tart because it has so much flavour, I stumbled across a very runny, quality tart this afternoon. There is a small place on Bloor, east of Islington called Bake Sale. They have amazing stuff!
The butter tart is a perfect shell that has a cookie crunch to it. There are no raisins and it is RUNNY. I only wish it were a bit more complex in flavours. I should add that it was still warm out of the oven so I don't know if the centre congeals after a few hours. The one I had was liquid gold!
I also sprang calorically for a chocolate cupcake. I found the cupcake part to be perfect - light and airy, rich chocolate flavour. Not dense like a muffin. The icing is probably perfect to many tastes too, but I prefer a bit more of a butter cream feel. This was on the verge of being too sugary and granular. Overall a real cupcake!
The cakes (not cheap) and other treats look fantastic.
RUN, don't walk to Bake Sale. (it's that good, plus you'll be glad you burned the calories)
Permalink | Reply
Pantz...had the opportunity to meet the owner of Marty's in Bracebridge this week, and he brought me some of his world famous butter tarts. Apparently Marty has been featured in the Toronto Star & BT. All I can tell you, is that they were absolutely the most amazing tarts that I have ever tried. OMG...took one and put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and nuked it for 15 seconds, almost fell off my chair. Worth the trip for sure. Say hello to Marty and tell him that BBQ Mike in Barrie says hello.
Permalink | Reply
I had the experience of eating Marty's Famous Butter Tarts and I thought they were terrible. The fact the they are high in sugar and fat is enough to send your cholesterol level through the roof and not to mention your arteries will clog up instantly.
Permalink | Reply
Now you're messing with my traditions, Pantz. My mother has made butter tarts with raisins for at least 60 years. Her pastry is not 'of a consistency close to shortbread'. They are fantastic butter tarts. I think if you check the history of butter tarts, you'll find that the type of pastry you are recommending and the nut fillings are more recent additions.
Furthermore, there is a 'runny' school and a non-runny school of butter tart lovers. I'm a runny guy myself. But that doesn't mean that the others are no good. There...I said it.
Permalink | Reply
I really like the butter tarts made by the people who run the baked goods stall in the North (farmer's) market at the St. Lawrence Market. Their butter tarts have a nice, buttery, crumbly, and, most importantly, light, shortbread-style crust. The filling is excellent. Although, I can not vouch for any filling other than raisin because the only butter tarts that should be allowed to be made or allowed to be sold are Raisin butter tarts. The rest are travesties of butter-tart tradition!
I should also add that I completely disagree with the Dufflet rec. I find their crust has much, much, much too much Browned-Butter falvour and is, therefore, too nutty in flavour. Not only does the pastry have this browned flavour it also is too much a unltra-crumbly tart shell pastry and not the right consistency. The filling is also wrong -- it has currants not raisins and that makes it much too chewy!
I will agree with you that Ingoldsby is fantastic. I rented a cottage several years ago that was too close to them and I think I gained some 10 pounds!
Permalink | Reply
mmmmm reading that makes me want to head back to dufflet for another one today!! so buttery good.
But I don't want atahualpa's tart bashing to get in the way of Pantz trying the very runny tarts at Patisserie Daudet...they are completely different from dufflet.
Permalink | Reply
Try Hannah's Kitchen on Yonge just south of Eglinton. Here's a blurb from Toronto Life, copied from Hannah's Kitchen's webstite ( www.hannahskitchen.com
)"Butter Tarts"-Toronto Life
"Before all else, and pre-empting indignant letters, we acknowledge that nobody makes butter tarts like the ones you had at Grandma's cottage on Manitoulin Island. That said, it's remarkable how many unassuming places bake their own-and how few do bad ones. Saying as much, though, reveals our relationship to them: most buttertarts taste like someone's grandmother made them (and how could you say anything bad about Granny?). Even so, some grans have the genius. The stickiest, yummiest butter tarts ($1.65) come from Hannah's Kitchen (2221 Yonge St., 481-2828). The top third is a chewy caramel layer that'll loosen dental work. A bare touch of runny sweetness fills the center, and the base is a buttery pastry that beats anything else in town. Still not sold? Two words might help convince some of you: no raisins
Permalink | Reply
That definitely sounds like what I'm looking for! Hannah's Kitchen and Patisserie Daudet are now on my list of Toronto tarts to try. Thanks to FlavoursGal and Deelicious.
To all you raisin lovers out there, just to be clear, I'm a raisin hater, so leave 'em out of my tart. More raisins for you!
Other than that, I'm up for most variations on butter tarts, traditional or newfangled. My preference has already been stated, but let's face it, anything made with sugar, butter and flour is probably going to be tasty. I'd probably even make an exception for Yongeman's mother's Butter Tarts. You have to respect 60 years of experience!
Permalink | Reply
I second Hannah's Kitchen. I volunteer for a group that caters from them, and it's the thought of those butter tarts that gets me out of bed for the all-day meetings....
Permalink | Reply
I used to live in Peterborough and when I was younger, I used to go to the farmers market where we'd go to what we'd call 'the butter tart lady' haha. They were really delicious and what I liked was you could get them with nuts, without nuts, with raisins or without raisins, and they came in big (normal size) and little mini bite sized ones which were sooo cute and perfect. I havent had many butter tarts but I know that she made some good ones. They we're the runny type though.
Permalink | Reply
Ok Pantz. My mom is off the boil and onto a simmer.
Permalink | Reply
Try the ones at Hansen's Danish Pastry shop on Pape just north of Mortimer. Ask for the Homestyle, they have 2 types, these should meet your requirements. They're the best I've found in the city.
Permalink | Reply
Really? I live so close to there and I go to the Danish Pastry shop all the time. Yet, I have never had their butter tarts! I'll have to give these a try.
Permalink | Reply
Thank you cheesymama! I walk by the shop several times a week, always drooling over their window display, but haven't gone in yet due to time constrictions. But now you've convinced me to go in...just for the butter tarts! (And I'll try both types just to compare!)
Permalink | Reply
Finally stopped into Hansen's last week. Ordered 3 butter tarts: 1 regular and 2 of the traditional (1 with pecans). And oh boy, were these ever good! Each one was oozing with sugary sweet goodness. The crusts were perfect and the regular ones come in an aluminum tart "cup". The traditional are $1.10/ea and the regular are $.85/ea. Despite the price, I'm gonna' stick with the traditional ones. :-) (but not the pecan ones. I like them plain on top with raisins inside.)
Permalink | Reply
On Wed am (I think) there is a small farmer's market in the courtyard of BCE place. I've had the butter tarts from one of the vendors there that were pretty good.
Also, on Sat at the north SLM, there is a pieman -- his berry pies are amazing. It's been a while since I had his butter tarts, though my husband, the BT aficiando gave them the thumbs up.
good luck
Permalink | Reply
orangewasabi, do you mean the pie man in the southeast corner or the pie lady in the middle-middle?
Permalink | Reply
You're right! Toronto does not have the BEST buttertarts...the best buttertarts are in a bakery in Little Britain, Ontario-called "Buttertarts N'More!" It's worth the hour and half drive from Toronto!
They have every variety of buttertarts you can imagine!
-Regular buttertarts with raisins or without
-Buttertarts with pralines and/or walnuts and/or raisins
-Just buttertarts without nuts or raisins
-Lemon Tarts
-Blueberry Tarts
-Cherry Tarts
-Raspberry Tarts
Yummmm...It's time for a road trip!
Permalink | Reply
I drove up there yesterday, snowy roads wouldn't stop me.
I bought 18 tarts, 6 lemon tarts, 6 butter tarts, 6 fruit tarts. Bought some jalapeno pickled eggs, and some veggie bread.
Everything I bought is great.
I did buy a fruit scone to go, so I had to drive a little more careful on the way back.
It's worth the trip.
Permalink | Reply
Another big vote for the bakery in Little Britain.
Resist temptation and *DO NOT* attempt to eat these while driving. I made that mistake recently and had to wash my car inside and out.
Permalink | Reply
Little Britain sounds good.
If you're on the road east, stop in at Sandy's in Odessa for another one that shouldn't be combined with driving duties! Thin but substantial and slightly crispy crust; very caramelly, almost-liquid filling with good chewiness where it meets the edges of the crust.
A warning: they sell out like crazy, and Sandy can be a little cranky. I stopped in once at the end of the day on the off-chance there might be some available (but resigned to the fact there might not be) and was lectured that I should have called ahead if I were coming that far that late in the day! I thought I was out of luck but then she magically produced the last tray of six in the store!
Permalink | Reply
Odessa also has some really great cheddar from the The Wilton Cheese Factory.
http://www.jensencheese.ca/
Permalink | Reply
I have always thought the best in the city is at the Mars Restaurant at college and bathurst.
Permalink | Reply
There is a variety store in Elliot Lake, Ontario called "Gem's Variety" on Hergott Avenue, that have the best butter tarts available. I tried these last year, and they are to die for. Just the right crust consistancy, won't really breakup in your hand. If you are up there its worth the trip.
They are located at: 80 Hergott Avenue. Phone number 705.848.0394
There is a lot of things to do in Elliot Lake, go for a visit.
Permalink | Reply
Cakes by Tatiana in the Glebe in Ottawa. You have to order them in advance, but by god they'll make you actually want to visit family and friends in our Nation's Capital.
CK
Permalink | Reply
My personal faves (and I too have conducted an exhaustive search) are from the Little Tub Bakery in Tobermory. When up on the Bruce, check them out!
Permalink | Reply
The best butter tarts are in Bruce County, specifically Liddle's in Riply.
Permalink | Reply
I will have to venture to Liddle's when back up there! Thanks for the reco!
Permalink | Reply
Toronto Life Cafe on Front street at Church (now called Nanoo) used to have great butter tarts - like my mom made - does anyone know if they are still making them???
Permalink | Reply
Kessler's Swiss Pastries in Richmond Hill (on Levendale, west of Yonge, across the street from Richmond Heights plaza) makes a mighty fine butter tart. I asked the owner about the raisin issue (I'm a raisin guy myself); she just looked at me, and said "Of course" (they should contain raisins).
Permalink | Reply
Is this inspired by something on Stillepost?
Permalink | Reply
If you are driving north of Whitby on Hwy 23, stop at Hy Hope Farm. You won't be disappointed in their butter tarts!
Permalink | Reply
Just picked up a dozen yesterday and fresh out of the oven. They were dang good.
Permalink | Reply
Try the General Store in Palmer Rapids (Madawaska Highlands). Whenever I pass through I pick up a dozen or so of their freshly baked butter tarts. I'm drooling now, just thinking about them.
Permalink | Reply
Unless you're on the Manitoulin island and even then you're not likely to stray to Meldrum Bay which is at the western most tippy-tip. It's a small (barely a city block with a single general store) but it's fantastically beautiful. We stayed at the Meldrum Inn there that served amazing butter tarts - wonderful homemade pastry and the lightest crust (maybe a brulee?) on top of the filling that really completed it. We ordered them and freaked out about them the whole time we were there and the innkeepers were nice enough to send us an extra box with us. Their ribs are also seriously delicious. We did drive around and I did hazard a guess that it was one of the better (if not best eateries) on the west side of the island..
www.meldrumbayinn.com
Permalink | Reply
Strangely coincidental that you mention a Manitoulin Island find because the best BT I located on a partial cross Canada (taste) trip was on the Chi Chi Maun auto Ferry on the way to Manitoulin I. at Kincardin, Ont.
Quite a few years ago, I'm afraid. The memory persists!
Permalink | Reply
I'm not an expert on butter tarts, but what about Clafouti Patisserie et Cafe (Queen St. West)? They have delicious ones which I hope are not "high-end four-dollar works of art."
If anyone here has also tried tarts from that cafe, please share your 2 cents!
Permalink | Reply
I go there frequently and I never noticed butter tarts there... They do have wonderfully unique fruit-based tarts like a fig tart, apple chocolate, etc.
Do visit them in any case and try their croissants. Fantastic.
Permalink | Reply
OMG, I agree with the original poster. Junction sells the BEST buttertarts! I only get there once a year, so we usually buy a dozen and pig out on all of them the same night.
That said, I'll have to try some of the recommendations, because I must have buttertarts!
Permalink | Reply
Hi
I recommend the Butter tart from Oliver and Bonacini Cafe/ Grill at Bayview Village.
On one of my dessert blitzes, the butter tart was on my roster of edible delights. I found it quite delicious, but i'll let the photo speak for itself.
Hope this helps :)
Permalink | Reply
Nice pic, sugarcube. The tart is soooooo dark. Is there chocolate in it?
Permalink | Reply
Thanks!
There wasn't any chocolate, but the deep, rich colour probably came from the use of a partially refined brown sugar... I suspect Demerara or Muscovado
Permalink | Reply
The ones we used to love are from Don's on Main cafe in Uxbridge. Don't know if Don is still doing them but...... wow........
Permalink | Reply
I have to ask... The best butter tarts that I ever had used to come from Schillings on the Danforth. I beleive they used to use puff pastry for the crust which always tasted amazing. I know they are now closed but does anyone know if the baker from there is working anywhere else?!?
Permalink | Reply
The former owner of Schillings, (Suzy) is, or was an instructor for George Brown's baking and pastry arts programs. She does make wonderful butter tarts!
Permalink | Reply
Might be worthwhile signing up for a little adult education.
Permalink | Reply
I am a Butter tart trekie as well. They're as hard to find as The Holy grail , Fountain of Youth or the Canadian identity.
Just wondering if you ever located the ultimate item in the GTA?
Permalink | Reply
My favourite butter tarts were from Humble Pie Bakery in Baysville. They were being sold at a number of places a number of years ago, including Bruno's, I think. Yes, they were made with raisins; yes, they were runny. The recipe can be found on the Internet, as it was apparently featured in LCBO's "Food & Drink" magazine back in 2002.
I believe the owner sold and don't know if they're still open or, if they are, if their butter tarts are still almost worth the drive.
Permalink | Reply
I ran across this post and wanted to add to the list. Today I had a buttertart from Sweet Indulgences - bakery and cafe at Coxwell and O'Conner - West side. Tart was not runny, was drizzled with very high grade chocolate and the crust was a flaky and soft wonder. Yum!
If you are on your way north, just south of Stouffville at 9th line and 19th on the East side is a garden/grocery/bakery store that sells runny butter tarts - don't recall the name. Just know the tarts are good and you can get them with/without nuts and with/without raisins...
Permalink | Reply
BUTTER TART FANATIC!
Sorry to have to bring this to your attention xssnrg,and I'm so happy you found the item yummy! However, the Canadian BT is a specifically defined creation and would never come with anything drizzled on top including pecans or high grade chocolate. What you had was a mutation of the original
old fashioned sweet. It's a good thing that we buried grandmum in a revolving coffin.
Try an authentic BT at Hansens Danish Pastry Shop on Pape ave. just south of Cosburn. However, they wont qualify for the OB, though, because they do contain raisins.
Permalink | Reply
fruglescot - I really enjoy your posts - especially the one on the Pollan lecture...
On this thread --- I'll try them out and get back to you... being a chocolate fanatic, I am ok with my BT's drizzled but only if the chocolate is very high grade... heretic that I am!!!
Permalink | Reply
xssnrg
Thank you for the compliment. I am a high grade chocolate fan myself
Contact me through my email (on profile) for an interesting chocolate related idea somewhat off topic.
Permalink | Reply
One more into the butter tart fray: I am looking at an old copy of the Canadian Cookbook, and there is listed a recipe for butter tarts that puts currants or raisins right at the top of the ingredients list. To me, a butter tart has to have them- like them or not. Drizzles of any sort are Postmodern butter tarts. Earrings on an elephant, perhaps. Having said that, another Postmodern butter tart is the four-dollar work of art (I am thinking specifically of the very tasty version produced by Queen of Tarts on Ronscesvalles). One has to pick and choose, I suppose- I personally have difficulty with the $20 supermarket cakes...I'll admit it...any supermarket pastry, really, regardless of price. I think the best bet for old style butter tarts is probably your own kitchen with an old recipe.
Permalink | Reply
I tried the Butter tarts in Haliburton, and they were ok, but nothing compared to the Furtney's butter tarts that used to be available in St. Mary's, Ontario until Furtney's closed in the late 90s.
Wanda's in the Kitchen with Dinah sells the most delicious butter tarts I've found in Toronto.
http://www.wandaspieinthesky.com/bake... on Mt Pleasant, between Eglinton and Mt. Pleasant. Their bite-size tarts have the perfect ratio of pastry to filling. They have a version without raisins or nuts, as well as raisin and nut versions.
Permalink | Reply
I will try Wanda's In the Kitchen; it is just a minute away from me.
Permalink | Reply
I have to say that my favourite of all time are the pecan butter tarts from Yitz's deli on Eglinton...I am not big on ooze so I like these and the pastry is very buttery and decadent.
Permalink | Reply
I'd check out the butter tarts at Dark Horse espresso bar, I've had a friend bring me one before and I thought it was pretty good.
Permalink | Reply
Try Hansen's Danish bakery (Danforth and Pape) for great butter tarts, not to mention pies, cookies and brownies. They also have a location within the Thornhill Farmers market open Thurs-Saturday.
Permalink | Reply
I remember Alchemy having one of the most oozy butter tarts.. but they're gone now : I walked through Kensington market and they were closed down! :(
I've recently tried butter tarts from Phipps, Sweet Bliss, and Altitude. For Phipps I had their caramel butter tart. The carmel was sweet but not toothachingly sweet, the crust was thick but not really buttery and the filling was not as runny as I wanted it to be.
Sweet Bliss's butter tart was large and beautiful but was lacking in flavour, crust and filling wise and was the priciest of the three ($3.25, Phipps was 2.50 and altitude a steal for less than $2.)
I don't think I did justice to Altitude's butter tart because my lack of impatience got the best of me and I ate it cold (room temperature). When I purchase another one in the future i'll be sure to try it warmed up a bit. The crust was not a shortbread crust and I found it to be a bit more flaky than the other two.
I went to the Queen of Tarts and chose their maple walnut tart but will return to try their butter tart in the future. I also will return to Le Pain Quotien for their butter tart. I spotted it the last time I was there but ended up choosing something else.
Cobbs and Future's bakery carry butter tarts but just the unappealing look of them does not make me very keen on trying them.
Permalink | Reply
sugarcube, why don't you try the butter tart from Flaky Tart and let us know how it compares.
Permalink | Reply
I agree, fulltummy. I've tried the Flaky Tart butter tart and it's awesome. Large, deep and VERY runny. Delicious.
Permalink | Reply
agree! go there now!
Permalink | Reply
I read the 'Flaky Tart' thread and saw all the rave reviews for the butter tart. I will definitely have to return to the mount pleasant area.
I'll let you know how it goes, and thanks for the recommendation Full Tummy, Yongeman, LemonLauren :)
Permalink | Reply
Osgoode Hall Restaurant at the Law Society. YUM!
Permalink | Reply
Grumbels (sp?) on Main Street west side just south of Danforth. I could eat just the crust alone--the filling is a bonus.
Permalink | Reply
Don't know if anyone had heard of this: the "butter tart trail"?
Link at http://www.wellington-north.com/dept-...
Looked interesting, though I don't know if anyone in this exhaustive compendium of all things butter tart vouched for any of the participants?
Permalink | Reply
There are surprisingly few butter tarts on the butter tart trail, just so you know... *grin*
Permalink | Reply
Just noticed your post on the butter tart trail being non-butterlesss. Oh no! We got together 5 girls for a day out to test the butter tarts. Can you give me more info on where do go or did you hit an "off time"? Thx.
Permalink | Reply
The best butter tarts I've ever had were from http://www.bluemountaingourmet.com/, but it's no where near Toronto, so... Actually, my mum and I made our own butter tart trail last summer. It was fun to gorge on so many butter tarts... http://www.living-in-the-country.com/...
In terms of Toronto though - Miss Cora's Kitchen in Kensington Market (69 Kensington Ave) does some tasty butter tarts.
Permalink | Reply
Could those of you who cite your mom's/grandma's recipes as the gold standard please post a recipe and save me a trip out of the GTA? I've looked up a couple in my mom's cupboard, and they seem to miraculously consist of only 4-5 ingredients excluding the crust (!!!). Therefore, I'd like to save on the gas AND on the $2/tart pricetag and have some recommendations that are tried and true. I'll specifically address this request to Dannyboy, Yongeman and Shana, all of whom make a reference to a family fave.
Permalink | Reply
Please post any recipes over on the Home Cooking board. You can post a link here when you do.
Permalink | Reply
I've not yet encountered a butter tart with bad filling so for me the key is the crust. In my opinion the best crust for butter tarts and pies is the one that Madam Benoit presented on her TV show many many years ago. I think it used to on the inside lid of tenderflake lard. You can easily find it on the web. (so many places have tough crust 1/4" thick. . . errrrggggg)
Permalink | Reply
Oh, you're lucky, I've tried plenty of gloopy, flavourless fillings. The crust at Flaky Tart is, not surprisingly, flaky, and the filling is perfect.
Permalink | Reply
I'll check out the butter tarts at The Maid's Cottage in Newmarket and report back.
Permalink | Reply
hello butter tart people - have you tried the chocolate butter tarts at Cinnamon Girls at Queen west of Dovercourt??
They're $3.50 apiece and worth every delicious addictive penny.
Permalink | Reply
If Blue Mountain Gourmet are the people that supply the Ravenna General Store with butter tarts and baked goods (and I’m pretty sure that they do) I’d agree with mainga’s statement that the butter tarts are incredible. First time I had them was summer ’06. They were so amazing, I was beside myself. A perfect butter tart. I had them again in summer ’07. Something was off. Maybe it was an off-day, maybe I got a dud, maybe the supplier was now different. I was disappointed, as I wanted a repeat of my summer ’06 butter tart experience. So I bought a piece of carrot cake and it was easily the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. The choco-chip cookies are wicked too. If Blue Mountain Gourmet is the architect behind these baked goods sold the Ravenna General Store, I’d second mainga’s support of these bakers.
Permalink | Reply
The Maid's Cottage in Newmarket definitely makes the grade..CHFI recently did a commercial there and Mike Cooper got hooked on them. Nice and runny, tender crust.
Permalink | Reply
I love the Flaky Tart buttertarts, perfect combo of runny middle and flaky pastry. And raisins, naturally! The lady said you can order them ahead of time without raisins, but I like them in.
Permalink | Reply
Just got back from the ROM. I had an excellent buttertart from the Food Lounge in the basement. It was larger than your standard muffin cup size, but at $4.75 it was pricey and only an occasional treat. The pastry was great, more of a tender shortbread crust than flaky and the filling wasn't overly sweet with lots of raisins (or were they currants?). Definitely worth checking out if you happen to be at the ROM.
Permalink | Reply
The best butter tarts i have ever had was at a place called Whitefeather farms country store just outside of Oshawa in Raglan on Simcoe St. The family owns a huge egg farm and they use the "cracked eggs" to make the butter tarts. They are wonderful. Light, flaky, crust and perfect filling.
Permalink | Reply
I would like to put in a good word for Dar's Delights in Moffat. I'm not sure if their butter tarts are the best ever made but they have to be way up there!
The crust is delicate and flaky as anything. The filling is just the right consistency and is sweet without being cloying. All in all, a classic butter tart!
They make great sausage rolls too!
Permalink | Reply
Sounds great. Where is Moffat?
Permalink | Reply
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Moffat+Ontario or http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Dar%27s+Delights...
Permalink | Reply
Thanks Atahualpa. I should have done that myself.
Permalink | Reply
I have discovered the perfect butter tart, unfortunately far from Toronto. It was at the Busy Bee Restaurant in Temagami. Pastry was light and flaky, filling neither too runny nor too firm and super sweet, and you could choose to have raisins or pecans or neither.
Permalink | Reply
Best butter tarts are made by "Norma" - they start to ooze delicious, sinful goodness the minute you bite into them. Don't try to eat them without a plate underneath!
She uses unbleached flour, butter and maple sugar instead of cane sugar. Available with or without raisins. All her ingredients are organic.
Cost? $2.50 each or 4 for $9.
The catch is that she attends farmers' markets around the city so they're not available in stores. I usually catch her at the Yonge/Eg (off Edith, behind the Memorial Centre) market on Thursdays, 3-7 pm. She also makes and sells amazing fruit tarts using fruit in season (right now it's sour cherry - bliss).
Permalink | Reply
Hey Gang,
Another great butter tart (as well as pecan tart, apple-pecan tart, etc. and gorgeous chicken and tyrkey pot pies) is just north-east of the city in Goodwood at Annina's Bakery at 300 Hwy #47 - 905-640-0691.
I'm told they have a serious mail-order business all over the world for their pies, and they make a nice cup of coffee if you want to sit and enjoy one and save your car the crumbs and sticky spots - let's be honest, they aren't ALL gonna make it home, are they?
Two words of warning:
1 - everything here is EXPENSIVE, but super-high quality. Love their family-size (10inch?) turkey-stuffing-veg-gravy pie that tastes like thanksgiving, but costs $20
2 - I am from the non-runny camp, preferring the chewy caramel that results where the sugary filling meets the pastry edge, especially if it boils over and escapes down the side of the pastry before it stiffens into sticky candy caramel bliss :-)
Permalink | Reply