Recipe: Mason Lid Tart

Getting into canning means you end up with a lot of Mason jar lids, being a DIY orientated person causes me to look for solutions to problems using materials at hand.

Now to be honest, making tarts is not a huge life problem for me, but after the tuna can cake I thought I would try a mason lid tart.

I enjoyed making single serve desserts, and with my wife wanting me to “get healthy” she wants me to control my portions.

This recipe is adapted from a 10 inch tart shell recipe, so it will make 15 or tarts – if you leave them in the lid for sturdiness, and wrap them they make good gifts.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup ice water
• Pear Pie Filling (recipe below)

Procedure

1. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl and mix to combine.
2. Add the butter and mix, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas.
3. While mixing slowly pour the ice water into the bowl and mix until the dough starts to come together. .
4. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball.
5. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
7. Spray your mason jar lids with nonstick spray.
8. Pull clumps of dough (about 2 tbsp for each mini tart) from the large dough ball and smash them into each lid.
9. Push the dough so it covers the bottom and sides of each lid.
10. Refrigerate the formed shells while you prepare the filling.
11. Set the mason jars on a cookie sheet
12. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the pie filling starts to set.
13. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out.
14. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn’t stick to the edge of the lid. Push the bottom of the lid up, so the ring falls around your wrist.
15. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Filling

Makes about 28 ounces, enough for a regular size pie

Ingredients

• 5 cups diced pears (I kept the skin on)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 a lemon juiced

Procedure

1. Toss all the ingredients into a large pot, mix until the flour is distributed evenly.
2. Allow to sit for about 30 minutes.
3. Turn the heat on medium-high. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
4. Bring mixture to a boil and lower to low/medium heat. Stir occasionally.
5. Keep over the heat for about 30 minutes, until it begins to thicken.
6. Pour into a container, cool, then store in the fridge until ready to use.