These lemon squares are just simply a good idea. The ingredients are available year-round, the recipe yields 32 squares so there’s plenty to share, and they freeze beautifully. With Mother’s Day just around the corner, they also make the perfect gift to give to someone special. If you keep a stash of these squares in your freezer, you can pull a few out whenever the skies are grey or rainy. You’ll have a bit of sunshine on your plate.
Yield: About 32 squares
Preparation Time: About 45 minutes
Baking Time: First bake for crust: 20 – 25 minutes @ 325 F
Second bake with topping: 25 – 30 minutes @ 325 F
INGREDIENT LIST
BASE
- Knob of butter, to grease the sides of the pan
- ¾ cup (175mL) butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (125mL) granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp (1mL) salt
- 2 cups (500mL) all purpose flour
TOPPINGS
- 2 Tbsp (30mL) finely grated lemon zest (about 2 small lemons)
- ½ cup (125mL) fresh lemon juice
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups (375mL) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50mL) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp (5mL) baking powder
- 2 tsp (10mL) icing sugar, to dust on cooled squares
EQUIPMENT LIST
- 13 x 9 inch cake pan
- Parchment paper
- Large-sized bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cooling rack
- Whisk
- Liquid measuring cup
- Medium-sized bowl
- Zester or micro plane
- Juicer or reamer
- Sieve
- Sharp knife
METHOD
1. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F).
2. Line a 33 cm x 23 cm (13 x 9”) cake pan with parchment paper, leaving 3 cm extending over long edges for handles. Grease the two shorter sides of the pan with butter. Put aside for now.(If you do not have parchment paper, grease the whole pan with butter)
3. In a large bowl, spread the softened butter around the bottom of the bowl with the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Add the sugar and salt and cream together until light and fluffy.
5. Add the flour, 1 cup (250mL) at a time and combine until crumbly.
6. With the backs of your fingers, press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
7. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until golden at the edges.
8. Let cool on a cooling rack.
9. Zest the lemons and place the zest into a small-sized bowl.
10. Cut the lemons in half and juice them, measuring ½ cup (125mL). Add the juice to the zest. Put aside for now.
11. Crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl. Add the sugar and whisk together until pale and thickened.
12. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, the flour and the baking powder. Combine until smooth.
13. Pour over the baked and cooled base, spreading evenly. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown and the centre is set.
14. Cool on a cooling rack.
15. When cool, dust with icing sugar.
16. Using the parchment paper handles, lift out of the pan. Cut into squares.
17. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
TASTY TIP
- These squares freeze well. If freezing, do not dust with icing sugar until thawed.
SKILLS
STEP-BY-STEP – LUSCIOUS LEMON SQUARES!
STEP 1
Gather your ingredients and equipment.
STEP 2
Line a 9×13″ pan with parchment paper and use butter to grease the short sides.
STEP 3
Spread the softened butter around the bottom of a large bowl.
STEP 4
Add the sugar and salt.
STEP 5
Cream together until light and fluffy.
STEP 6
Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, and stir until crumbly.
STEP 7
Pour the mixture into the pan. Use the backs of your fingers, or the bottom of a measuring cup, to press it in evenly.
STEP 8
Bake in the oven. Golden at the edges after 22 minutes. Let it cool.
STEP 9
Add lemon zest and juice to a small bowl and set aside.
STEP 10
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a medium bowl until pale and thickened.
STEP 11
Whisk in the baking powder, flour, lemon juice and lemon zest.
STEP 12
Pour into the cooked base and spread evenly. Back into the oven it goes.
STEP 13
Golden brown, and the centre is set after 30 minutes. Now comes the hardest part – waiting for it to cool!
STEP 14
Dust with icing sugar and serve.
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