Pumpkin Patch

It’s getting to be Fall, my favourite time of the year, and it’s our final ice cream blog so what would be more perfect than a Fall dessert? This time of the year you start to think about leaves changing and Thanksgiving and also Halloween. One thing that you tend to see a lot of this time of the year and leading up to Halloween is pumpkins, specifically pumpkin flavoured things. Our final ice cream flavour is called “Pumpkin Patch” by Brusters. This flavour has pumpkin ice cream mixed with Graham Ribbons and crunchy pie pieces.

Something that we have never made before on our blog is pumpkin pies so I am going to share my go to pumpkin pie recipe with a twist, we’re gonna make little pumpkin pie tarts.

I know some people go all out and make their own filling from scratch by buying a pumpkin and grinding it all up and they make their own crusts too, but when you’re busy and working it can be hard so don’t feel guilty going out and buying canned pumpkin and premade pie shells.

With that said, you will need the following to make your mini pies.

A package of frozen tart shells (24 come in a pack)

1 can of pumpkin (15 ounces)

1 can of sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)

2 eggs

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. ginger

½ tsp. salt

Preheat you oven to 425 degrees.

While it’s preheating, mix the pumpkin, milk, eggs, spices, and salt together in your mixer.

Pour into the shells and bake for 15 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted about inch from the crust comes out clean. Now this is how it’s done when making it as a big pie, tarts may take less time, but keep an eye on them while they bake and take note for the next time when you make them.

Let the mini pies cool. While they cool, whip up some cream to serve on top.

Yum! It’s Fall!

Ontario - Butter Tarts

Before starting our province blogs, we both didn’t know that Butter Tarts were a Canadian thing. As you can probably tell, this week the spotlight is on Butter Tarts which originated in Barrie, Ontario in 1900.

A traditional English Canadian Butter Tart consists of butter, sugar, and eggs in a tart shell. Many people add currents, raisins, or sometimes pecans to their tarts. Some people like them runnier and some thicker, it all depends on the person. I’m an original butter tart person. I like it plain and thick and gooey.

Apparently the recipe is “completely Canadian in origin.” As we said earlier, the butter tart originated in Barrie, Ontario in the Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook. There is an annual Butter Tart Festival held at the Muskoka Lakes each year as well as an Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival and Contest held in Midland, Ontario.  There is a Butter Tart Trail in Wellington, North Ontario and a Butter Tart Tour in Kawarthas Northumberland, Ontario.

A little while ago I had a craving for Butter Tarts, so I looked up and researched some easy recipes. The ones that my parents made when I was little seemed to take a really long time and there were lots of steps. I wanted something  little easier, so I found an awesome recipe that is super easy to follow. We are going to make them so you can see the steps below.

Classic Canadian Butter Tarts

You will need:

Tart shells. If you have a recipe for tart crust then feel free to use it. I use frozen tart shells because it’s way easier and less time consuming, but if you have the time and patience, try out a homemade tart shell recipe. 

Filling:

½ cup lightly packed brown sugar

½ cup corn syrup

¼ cup butter, melted

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup raisins or currents if like them and are using them

How to: 

Combine all of the filling ingredients except raisins.

Mix well.

Sprinkle raisins/currents if you’re using them in a single layer in the bottom of the pastry lined muffin cups.

Fill ⅔ full with syrup mixture.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack and remove tarts from pans.

*If you like a thicker gooey filling like I do then add an extra egg and add more brown sugar (so ¾ cups instead) and less corn syrup (1/4 cup).


Enjoy!