Tuesday, December 14, 2010

When Life Hands You Lemons

I have 18 naked lemons in my refrigerator. Naked because they have all been stripped of their sunny exteriors  for another recipe, one I'll show you later next week when it's done. There were originally 20, but now I'm down to 18 and trying to figure out how much lemon curd one girl and a boy with no sweet tooth can possibly consume without slipping into a diabetic coma. I love me some lemon curd and a big batch would help me make a big dent in my vast collection of rapidly perishing lemons. I just need to research how to preserve it so I don't have to store a gallon of curd in my fridge. I'm sure it can be done.

Meanwhile I used two lemons for a treat I've never made before, and probably never would have. Lemon squares are a decidedly summer indulgence, and one I like, but never really loved enough to bake. When I asked my Facebook friends what they'd do with 20 lemons, at least 4 people said lemon squares. The crust in this mishmash version is sweet and a bit crumbly like a shortbread cookies and the filling is just tart enough.  I'd have to make enough of these to feed an army to use all of that juice, but it's a start. A creamy, sweet/tart start that I'm enjoying as I type this with a big mug of tea on the first snowy day of the year. Yum.


Sugared Lemon Squares
-  a combination of recipes from Betty Crocker
and The Best Bake Sale Ever


Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for decorating
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 Tbls. heavy cream (optional)
4 eggs
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbls. flour

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk 1 cup of flour with powdered sugar. Cut in butter and cream until crumbs form. If this mixture seems a bit dry, add cream a Tbls. at a time to reach the correct consistency. Press into a 8 inch square baking pan, building up 1/2 an inch on all sides. Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are just golden.

While crust bakes, prepare filling. Beat eggs, lemon juice, and granulated sugar until pale, about 2 minutes. Add 3 Tbls. flour and beat until just combined. Pour over hot crust and return to oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until filling is set. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Using a knife dipped in hot water, slice into squares and remove from pan with a thin spatula. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Print the Recipe



This post is linked to:
Hearth and Soul
Tasty Tuesdays
Tuesday Night Supper Club

15 comments:

sheri said...

You can't possibly know how much I love me a lemon square. I could eat the picture you posted. Thanks for the recipe, perhaps I will add this to my Christmas Eve dessert table!

Susannah said...

Lemon, lime, and orange... my absolute favorite flavors. I think I'm supposed to be living in a sunny climate! (Not the rainy PNW!)

These look delicious.

e-Mom @ Susannah's {Kitchen}

Elsa said...

I love lemon squares, so I will try this recipe for sure. :)

Heather S-G said...

You're right...they're bright and sunny that they just scream summer. BUT, I totally need a big burst of sunlight right now...they look wonderful :D Plus, lemon squares are super tasty, so...yeah...YUM! Thanks for sharing 'em w/ the hearth and soul hop this week :D

Hunger and Thirst said...

Oh, that sounds like a situation I'd get myself into, as I don't have a sweet tooth, either. But these are just adorable. Thanks for sharing with the Hearth and Soul hop.

aipi said...

Oh, YUM! that looks amazingly delicious!! The recipe also sounds simple, I'll definitely give it a try...


US Masala

The Wise Alternative 918-836-0565 said...

I can't remember the last time I had a lemon square but I do remember.....the sweet / tart rush when you take that first bite. Yours look amazing! Thanks so much for sharing with the Hearth and Soul hop.

Unknown said...

i do love a good lemon bar! you probably have thought of this...but you can freeze the lemon juice in ice cube trays for use later. thank you for sharing these delightful treats with tuesday night supper club!

Dacia said...

All your recipes are looking so yummy! Thanks for sharing! Thanks for the blog visit and kind comment :)

Kat said...

mmm I love lemon bars!!!

Elsa said...

I made your bars and posted them on my blog. Delicious!!

delphcotecuisine said...

Looks yummy...
lovely blog too
bises from France
Delphine

Staci Edwards said...

These look delish, and the hearts make them so cute!
Happy Holidays!

Elsa said...

I made your lemon bars a while back and I just noticed this now that I'm making them again, what did you do with the heavy cream? I left it out and it was still great.

Joanna said...

Thanks for the note Elsa! I just noticed the exclusion, too. You can add the cream to your crust if it feels too dry, but it is optional!