Ingredients
- 1 pre-baked 9-inch tart shell
- 220 ml Quebec maple syrup (amber)
- 3 eggs
- 30 g butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 200 g walnut halves
Method
- Preheat oven to 175 °C. Whisk eggs, then blend in maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Spread walnut halves evenly in the pre-baked shell.
- Pour maple custard over walnuts; they will float naturally to form a textured top.
- Bake 30–35 min until the filling is set at the edges and barely jiggles in the center.
- Cool 1 hour before unmoulding; serve at room temperature.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 200 g corn syrup + 100 g granulated sugar
Conversion used: Replace corn syrup and sugar with 220 ml amber Quebec maple syrup. Reduce to 3 eggs (down from 4) for binding since syrup is less viscous than corn syrup. Bake at 175 °C (−15 °C vs. 190 °C) to avoid bitter caramelization.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple syrup delivers buttery caramel complexity without the bland sweetness of corn syrup, and pairs naturally with walnuts' tannins — a classic Quebec autumn pairing.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →