Lemon Squares are a decades-old recipe (but now, a perennial favorite) dug out of my vintage recipe box. My original recipe incorporates Rice Chex® into the crust (and I just could not bring myself to stoop to that!) ─ hence a modification is provided. Additionally, I chose to use a variety of lemon that grows abundantly on Grand Cayman Island – the Mandarin Lemon that was imported from Costa Rica. Plus, my treats are topped with a little extra sparkle …
For the Crust:
1 cup cake flour
¼ cups + 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1/8 tsp table salt
3 oz (= 6 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small dice
For the Filling:
2 extra large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1/8 tsp table salt
¼ cups + 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approximately 2 lemons) at room temp, sieved to remove seeds & pulp
1/8 cup whole milk, at room temperature
For the Topping:
2 Tbs Sparkling Sugar, White or Gold (Indian Tree)
2 Tbs coarsely grated zest from lemons used for filling juice
Preheat oven to 350ºF with rack positioned in the center of the oven.
Butter an 8”x8” straight sided baking pan*, **, line with parchment creating an overhang to serve as a sling, clip the sling to the edges of the pan and then butter the parchment.
Make the Crust: Sift together the flour, powdered sugar and salt. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press the mixture firmly onto the bottom of the prepared pan and place pan in the refrigerator until the crust is thoroughly chilled and firm. Bake for 16 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
Make the Filling: Sift together the granulated sugar, corn starch and salt. Whisk the eggs in the bowl of a KitchenAid® Mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk in the dry ingredients until combined, and then add the lemon juice followed by the milk. Pour the mixture over the hot crust.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF and bake until the filling is set, about 18 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle surface with sparkling sugar and lemon zest. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack and then refrigerate until firm.
Remove from pan and using a sharp knife, cut into desired size of bars or squares (I prefer #8 or #9 squares).
Yield: one 8”x8” pan of squares weighing 21oz.
* It is important to use a straight-sided pan to create squares of uniform thickness/size. Chicago Metallic® makes these pans.
** This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9” x 13” straight-sided pan.
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