Butter Tart Square

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So, for some reason, I have never had any interest in trying a butter tart. I know they are a classic seasonal treat during the Holidays; one that people seem to drool over. Something in the name just turned me off. Like, how much butter is in a butter tart any way!? While at a book club meeting a few months back, the hostess put out homemade butter tarts and everyone was devouring them like crazy. I was intrigued! People appeared to be losing their minds over the butter tarts! So, I finally tried one…and wow….how I been missing out!!! After I finally gave in & tried one and loved it…I decided to make it my mission to try and make them during the Christmas season this year. I recently stumbled upon this recipe in Canadian Living Magazine (Christmas Cookies 2010) and I was inclined to try and make the butter tart in a square form. It is such an easy recipe! And the results were incredibly delicious! 

Ingredients



  • 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour 
  • 1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar 
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) salted butter 
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) salted butter, melted 
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten 
  • 1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar 
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour 
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder 
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla 
  • 1 pinch salt 
  • 1 cup (250 mL) raisins 
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnuts


    Preparation

    1. In bowl, mix flour with sugar; using pastry blender, cut in butter until crumbly. Press into 9-inch (2.5 L) square metal cake pan; bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 15 minutes.

    NOTE: I used a food processed and pulsed the ingredients together until they mixture was crumbly. The mixture looked very crumbly and like it would not meld together in the oven. Do not worry! It all comes together in the end!

    2. Filling: In bowl, mix butter with eggs; blend in sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla and salt. Stir in raisins and walnuts; pour over base.

    3. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until top springs back when touched lightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack. Cut into squares.

    NOTE: I found that the crust was still quite crumbly even after I let the butter square tart sit & cool off on the counter. It was a bit difficult to cut. I suggest placing the pan in the fridge for an hour to set the crust completely. After I chilled the butter tart square, it was extremely easy to cut into perfect bite sized pieces.

    NOTE: I used unsalted butter instead of salted butter. I have to say, salted butter would have added a bit more flavour to the crust itself. I would recommend using the salted butter.

    Source: Canadian Living: Christmas Cookies 2010

    Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

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    Thanksgiving with my family is not Thanksgiving until everyone has had one of these famous cupcakes. I’ve been required to bring these every Thanksgiving for the past 8 years. This year I tried to bring a different & new dessert to Thanksgiving dinner and I was almost disowned! I must admit…these cupcakes are delicious. I normally do not use cake mixes, but the yellow cake mix works well with this recipe; if anything to add a golden “pumpkiny” colour to the cupcakes themselves. The cake itself has a wonderful cinnamon & nutmeg flavour with a subtle hint of pumpkin. However, the frosting is definitely the best part of the dessert. The pumpkin, pumpkin spice, cream cheese and whipped topping make the icing light & fluffy. It is really the best icing I’ve ever tasted. Even if you are not a huge fan of pumpkin, you’ll like these cupcakes. Guaranteed!


    Ingredients

    •  1 package (2-layer size) of yellow or golden cake mix
    •  1 can (398ml) of pumpkin puree, divided (not pumpkin pie filling)
    •  ½ cup of milk
    •  1/3 cup of vegetable oil
    •  4 large eggs
    •  1 and ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, divided
    •  1 package (250g) of cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia Cream Cheese)
    •  1 cup of icing sugar
    •  1 tub (1L) of Cool Whip Whipped topping, thawed
    •  ¼ cup of caramel topping
    •  ½ cup of toasted pecans

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven to 350’F.

    2. Beat the cake mix with 1 cup of pumpkin puree, milk, oil, 4 eggs, and 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.

    3. Pour mixture evenly into cups of a muffin tin.

    4. Bake according to instructions of cake mix or until a toothpick inserted into the centres comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks.

    5. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Be patient, as if you don’t allow the cream cheese to become creamy, you’ll risk getting lumps in your icing.

    6. Add icing sugar, remaining pumpkin puree, and remaining ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice; mix well. Stir in whipped topping.

    7. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the frosting & sprinkle each with a pinch of cinnamon or cinnamon sugar.

    8. Drizzle with caramel topping and toasted pecans. Store in the fridge.


    Source: Courtney Jones

    Pumpkin Honey Walnut Bread

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    I used to hate anything flavoured with pumpkin. Oh, how times have changed! There is nothing better than the smell of cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin. I’ve been busy making a lot of different things with pumpkin lately. I’ve made pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin lasagna (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!) and this pumpkin honey walnut bread. The bread was extremely moist and had a lot of flavour. It was fantastic warmed up with a little bit of butter. I also made a homemade vanilla pear butter spread to go on top that was really delicious. 

    Ingredients

    • Canola oil cooking spray 
    • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 
    • 1/4 cup oat bran or wheat germ 
    • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder 
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt 
    • 6 tablespoons cane sugar (I used brown sugar)
    • 1/3 cup canola or sunflower oil 
    • 1/3 cup honey 
    • 1/3 cup milk 
    • 1 1/4 cups fresh or canned pumpkin puree 
    • 1 egg 
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
    • 1 cup chopped walnuts

    Method

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch loaf pan with canola oil cooking spray and set aside.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oat bran, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a second large bowl, combine sugar, oil, honey, milk, pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Add this mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in walnuts.
    3. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake until cooked through and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack then remove from pan and set aside to let cool completely.
    Source: Whole Foods Newsletter (October 2010)