Roasted Nut and Caramel Tart
The first known recipe for this rich dessert—simply called a butter tart—was published in 1900 in the Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook in Barrie, Ontario. Butter tarts have since become a quintessential Canadian treasure: flaky pastry cradling a gooey, caramel‑like filling of butter, sugar, syrup and eggs. Variations travel far—Scandinavian kitchens know a larger, shareable interpretation—and it was through the Scandinavian From Scratch cookbook that I first encountered this generous version.
This extra‑large butter tart is baked in a 28 cm tart shell to accommodate its decadent caramel filling, it is studded with an array of nuts—pecans, pistachios and walnuts—that add texture and depth. Rich enough that a small slice satisfies the sweetest cravings, the tart yields approximately 12 servings.
This is the easy way to get butter tart flavour without making individual shells: rich, comforting, and perfect for slow winter gatherings. Comments welcome; the recipe is free for everyone.
Roasted Nut and Caramel Tart Recipe
By Zosia Culinary Adventures | Date: Feb 23, 2026
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Baking Time: 1 hour
Yield: 12 servings
Use 28 cm Removable bottom tart tin
Ingredients: to make the tart crust
195 g Arva Mills Daisy Unbleached Flour plus extra for dusting
100 g unsalted butter, cold cut into small pieces
pinch of sea salt
60 g icing sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons ice water
450 g ceramic beans for blind baking
Ingredients: to make caramel nut filling
3 large eggs
150 g granulated sugar
170 g light corn syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla essence
85 g of 35% cream
100 g unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp sea salt
340 g assorted unsalted nuts( such as walnuts, pecans and pistachios or any other variety of your liking)
Instructions:
To make the crust, gently combine the flour, cold butter and a pinch of salt using a pastry cutter or dough blender until the butter is reduced to pea-sized pieces. Next, stir in the icing sugar and the egg yolks, then use your hands to bring the mixture together into a coarse dough. Gradually add the ice water, one teaspoon at a time, mixing just until the dough holds together without becoming sticky. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a smooth, slightly glossy ball. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Lightly dust a work table with flour and roll the well-chilled dough into a roughly 30 cm circle. To transfer the dough, gently curl it around your rolling pin and carefully unroll it into a buttered tart tin. Ease it into the tin, pressing it down across the bottom and up along the sides, smoothing any folds or trapped air pockets as you go. If you happen to have a bit of extra dough, you can shape a couple of small tarts; this comes in handy if you end up with a little extra caramel filling.
To blind-bake the crust, place a sheet of parchment paper so it completely covers the tart and the dough, then fill it with ceramic baking beans or any other weights you normally use to keep the pastry from puffing. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the top edges of the crust turn a warm, golden colour.
While the crust is baking, make the caramel filling.
In the bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and corn syrup until light and frothy. Add the vanilla, cream, melted butter, and salt, then continue mixing everything together until fully incorporated.
Remove the crust from the oven, leaving the oven on. Remove the parchment paper and beans. Place the tart shell on a baking tray. Spread the nuts over the crust evenly and pour caramel filling over the nuts. It should come all the way to the top of the crust.
Bake the tart on the baking tray for 40 to 50 minutes, until the caramel top is dark golden brown and edges of the crust are a lighter brown.
Allow the Caramel tart to cool completely before cutting it into slices. You can store the tart in the airtight container in the fridge for a week. Enjoy it!
