Cape Breton Date Tarts

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 55 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups chopped pitted dates
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon maple extract

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325°f.
• 2 sift together flour and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a bowl. using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in 1 cup butter; knead until well blended. form dough into 3/4 inch balls. press evenly into 1 1/2 inch tart molds, pressing up the sides to form a shell. bake in preheated oven until pale gold, about 16 minutes. let shells cool in the pan. gently loosen and remove them from pan using a knife.
• 3 combine dates, orange juice, water, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan. bring to a gentle boil and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. mash dates with a fork as they cook. remove from heat and stir in vanilla. allow mixture to cool before spooning into tart shells.
• 4 cream 1/4 cup butter in a small bowl with an electric mixer. gradually add 1 cup of the sugar while continuing to mix. add the milk, remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar, and maple extract. beat at high speed until smooth. icing should be thick enough to pipe. spoon mixture into pastry bag with a small round or star-shaped tip. pipe a swirl of icing on each tart.