Butter Tart Squares Recipe With Picture

Butter Tart Squares are simply irresistible with their buttery and crumbly shortbread crust that is topped with a rich and gooey caramel filling. They are similar to a Butter Tart, only in bar form, which makes them much easier to prepare and transport..

To make these bars, the first thing we need to do is to replace the Butter Tart's pastry crust with a shortbread crust which we prebake until golden. This pre-baking keeps the shortbread nice and crisp which contrasts so nicely with the rich caramel flavored filling. You can make the filling in your food processor or mixer and it is simply a combination of butter, eggs, brown sugar, and corn syrup. There is a debate on whether raisins or walnuts are better, so I will leave that decision up to you.

Although the butter tart is unique to Canada they are quite similar to the American pecan pie or the British treacle tart. In fact, even though the Butter Tart Squares' filling typically uses either raisins or chopped walnuts, you can just as easily use chopped pecans to emulate the pecan pie. These squares are excellent warm, at room temperature or even cold.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or use a non stick cooking spray) an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) pan.

Shortbread Base: In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt and beat until the dough just comes together. Press onto the bottom of your greased pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until pale golden in color. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.

Filling: In your food processor or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Then beat in the corn syrup and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour, salt, and baking powder.

Sprinkle the raisins or nuts evenly over the baked shortbread base. Then pour the filling over the raisins (and/or nuts) and bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until the filling is set. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 16 - 2 inch squares.

Sources:

Brody, Esther. 'The 250 Best Brownies Bars and Squares'. Robert Rose Inc. Toronto: 2001.

The Best of Bridge Publishing Ltd. 'Grand Slam More Recipes from the Best of Bridge'. The Best of Bridge Publishing Ltd. Calgary: 1988.

Stern, Bonnie. 'Bonnie Stern's Essentials of Home Cooking'. Random House Canada. Toronto: 2003.

Shortbread Base:

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces

3 tablespoon (40 grams) granulated white sugar

1 cup (140 grams) all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (215 grams) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 cup (60 ml) light corn syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon (15 grams) all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup raisins or

2/3 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

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