Crisp shortbread is layered with a gooey, sweet mixture of nuts and fruit topped with a crisp caramelized layer of brown sugar crust to make these Butter Tart Squares.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Canadian
Servings: 18servings
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients
½cupbuttersoftened
1cupall-purpose flour*
½cupsugar
*Gluten-Free Alternative for the Crust
⅔cupbrown rice flour
⅓cuppotato starch
Filling Ingredients
2tablespoonsbuttermelted
1cuplight brown sugar
2eggs
2tablespoonsall-purpose flour**
½teaspoonbaking powder
1teaspoonvanilla
⅛teaspoonkosher salt
1cupraisins
½cupchopped pecans or walnuts
**Gluten-Free Alternative for the Filling
2tablespoonsbrown rice flour
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9" square pan with parchment paper or grease it very well with butter.
To make the crust, beat the butter and the sugar together until smooth. Add the flour and stir just until combined. Press into the prepared pan and then bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
When the crust has cooled, mix together the filling ingredients. Stir the brown sugar into the melted butter and then add the remaining ingredients. Pour the filling over the crust.
Bake until top springs back when lightly touched, approximately 25-28 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Enjoy!
Notes
Here's a tip for pressing shortbread crusts into baking pans. I tear an extra section of parchment paper and lay it on top of the dough. Use that paper to press the pan into the crust. Your hands will stay clean and the dough will spread smoothly across the pan.This may be made in an 8-inch or 10-inch pan as well. You'll need to adjust the baking time accordingly. (An 8-inch pan typically bakes in about 30-32 minutes.)