Submitted by Susan Lusted
Never Fail Pastry
5 1/2 cups pastry flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 pound Tenderflake lard
2 tsp vinegar
1 egg slightly beaten, add water to vinegar and egg to make 1 cup
Cut lard into cubes(about 1 inch) and freeze. Mix together flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor. After the lard is frozen, add to the food processor. Pulse until the flour mixture is crumbly and resembles small peas. Add the liquid mixture through the feed tube. Continue until the mixture forms a ball. Divide into four and form into flat disks. Chill for about 15 minutes. Roll out about 1/4 of the dough on a floured board until 1/8 inch thick. Cut to the appropriate size and line the tart tins. While I am making the filling, I place the lined tart tins in the freezer. You get flakier pastry if you keep it chilled before baking.
Filling
2 cups of dark brown sugar, packed
2 cups of corn syrup
1/2 pound of butter, do not substitute
8 large eggs
1/2 tsp of salt
1 1/2 tsp of vanilla
3 cups of raisins(washed and rinsed)
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add brown sugar, and syrup and mix together. Slightly beat the eggs, and gradually add to the mixture beating constantly. Add salt, and vanilla and mix well. Place a tbsp. of raisins in each tart shell. Add the syrup mixture til about 3/4 full. Bake in a 400° oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly before removing from tins. These do freeze well. (that’s if they last long enough)