If you are what you eat, then I’m a butter tart

If you were a food, what would you be?

Don’t think too hard about this one, just write what comes to mind in the comment section below.

Me, I’d be a butter tart square.  Like me, they are proudly Canadian, sweet, flaky, occasionally a little nutty and much to my ego’s pain: square.

While you ponder the good and bad aspects of   what kind of food epitomizes your character, try this recipe for butter tart squares from my repertoire of family faves:

Cranberry Butter Tart Squares

Crust:
1/4 cup (50 mL) butter softened
1/3 cup (75 mL) packed brown sugar
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

Topping:
1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking powder
pinch salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, softened
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) dried cranberries
1 square each bittersweet and white chocolate, melted (optional)

Crust: Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Beat the butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl until creamy. Add the flour and salt and stir until well combined and crumbly. Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8-in (20 cm) square baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until pale golden around the edges. Reserve.

Topping: Stir the brown sugar with the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter, eggs and vanilla and stir until well blended and smooth. Stir in the dried cranberries.

Pour the filling over the crust and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and bubbly around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the centre. Cool the squares completely in the pan on a wire rack. Drizzle with chocolate (if using). Slice into squares. Makes 16 squares.

Tip: Recipe doubles easily to fill a 9-x 13-in (3L) baking pan.