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Meet the baker behind the butter tarts at Quetico North

Commonly referred to as Helen's butter tarts, the baker behind the sugary concoction has been baking thousands of them every year at Quetico North since the 90s.

Helen Rynnanen has been baking butter tarts for 30 years

CBC News ·
Ryynanen says she bakes thousands of butter tarts every year at Quetico North and continues to do so because she enjoys what she does. (Christina Jung / CBC)

In the middle of Highway 11, about 200 kilometres west of Thunder Bay, Ont. is an old gas station and restaurant called Quetico North. For the past 30 years, travellers from all over northwestern Ontario, Canada and even the United States have made sure to stopped by to try their butter tarts.

Helen's butter tarts has no raisins but is instead filled with shredded coconut and walnuts. (Christina Jung / CBC)

Commonly referred to as Helen's butter tarts, the baker behind the sugary concoction has been baking thousands of them every year since the 90s.

Have you heard of Helen's butter tarts? Helen Ryynanen made over fourteen thousand butter tarts last year.. and sold them at Quetico North. 6:19

Last year, Helen Ryynanen made a total of 14,460 butter tarts and she continues to make thousands every year.

In 2013 Linda Pitkanen's sister, a co-owner of Quetico North, decided to put a plate of butter tarts up front by the cashier at the retail section of the store. Since then, the number of tarts Helen needs to make has nearly doubled. (Christina Jung / CBC)