Butter Tart Squares

Butter Tart Squares

Equipment

  • 9×13 Inch Pan

Ingredients

Base Layer

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Butter Tart Filling

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar light or dark
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour*
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup dark corn syrup*
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar*
  • 1 cup raisins, currants or chopped walnuts – optional I use 1/2 cup currants and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

Base Layer

  • Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang around the edges.
  • In a large bowl beat the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy.
  • Mix in the flour – the mixture will be thick.
  • Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the top looks set and is a pale, golden color. Remove from the oven and leave the oven turned on.

Filling Layer

  • Make the filling as the base layer is baking.
  • Beat the butter, brown sugar and flour until evenly combined.
  • Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
  • Mix in the corn syrup and vinegar. Stir in the optional raisins, currants or walnuts.
  • Pour the mixture over the gently baked crust.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top looks set and if you give the pan a nudge the filling layer doesn’t look liquidy.
  • Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing for clean cuts and to ensure that the bars are set.
  • When ready to slice, lift the bars out of the pan using the overhang of the parchment paper. Place on the cutting board and slice using a sharp knife. If the edges seem too crispy, simply slice off the edges.

Notes

  1. For gooier bars, leave out the 2 tablespoons of flour from the filling. 
  2. Corn syrup can be substituted with pure maple syrup. However, I do recommend using corn syrup because it is how the recipe was developed.
  3. The vinegar helps to cut the sweetness of the recipe – therefore I do not recommend leaving it out.
  4. Feel free to use currants, raisins or chopped walnuts, or leave them out. I typically use 1/2 cup currants and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.
  5. I really recommend waiting for the bars to cool fully before slicing so that they are less messy.
  6. Store bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days after slicing. Bars can be frozen for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge.
  7. Nutrition information is an estimate only. It is based on 1 bar, assuming the recipe is made with 1 cup of raisins and sliced into 15 equal-sized squares. 

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg

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