utter
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
All content on this site is
either original or has been significantly modified and changed from its
credited original source. Use of materials on Joyofbaking.com is
entirely at the risk of the user and Joyofbaking.com or Stephanie Jaworski
will not be responsible for any damages directly or indirectly resulting
from the use.
This
website and the contents thereof are not endorsed or sponsored by the owner
of the "Joy of Cooking" series of books or its publisher Simon & Schuster,
Inc.
Content in any form may
not be copied or used without written permission of Stephanie Jaworski,
Joyofbaking.com. Students and non profit educators may use content without
permission with proper credit.
Page loading ... Please wait.
