Butter Tart Squares
The Canadian butter tart in tray form: a shortbread base under a runny brown sugar and raisin filling. Baking it in a pan means no pastry shells to line and no leaks.
- Prep20 min
- Cook40 min
- Total2 h
- Serves16
AI-generated illustration
Contains:dairyegggluten
Ingredients
Method
- Rub 12 tablespoons of the unsalted butter into 1 1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour with the granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt until the mixture holds together when squeezed.
- Press it firmly and evenly into a parchment-lined 9-inch (23 cm) square pan and bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 15 minutes, until the surface looks dry and the edges are barely colored.
- Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and whisk it with the packed brown sugar, large eggs, white vinegar, vanilla extract, baking powder, the remaining 2 tablespoons flour, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth.
- Scatter the raisins over the hot base and pour the filling over them.
- Bake 25 minutes more, until the filling is set at the edges and still trembles slightly in the very center; it firms as it cools and overbaking turns it to caramel candy.
- Cool completely in the pan, at least 1 hour, then lift out by the parchment and cut into squares with a hot dry knife.
Notes
- The vinegar is not optional; it keeps the sugar filling from crystallizing into a grainy layer.
