Lemon Cream Squares

I was trying to improve on a lemon pie recipe when I had the bright idea of adding cream cheese. Hey, it worked and this is the result. You can always use a traditional graham cracker crust but this vanilla wafer crust is really yummy.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 16 Bars

Ingredients

• For the crust

• 20  vanilla wafers
• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄4 cup  cold margarine

• For the filling

• 8  ounces cream cheese
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  eggs (or 1/2 C egg substitute)
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 3  tablespoons lemon zest (devided)
• 1⁄4 cup lemon juice concentrate
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2  teaspoons powdered sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line an 8" square baking pan with foil taking care to cover the lip of the pan.
3. Crush the wafers and mix with flour and brown sugar. Cut in the margarine with a fork or pastry blender until you have coarse crumbs.
4. Press into the bottom of your foil lined pan.
5. Bake 15 minutes and cool.
6. Combine cream cheese and sugar until well blended.
7. Add eggs and flour and mix well. Add 1 T of the lemon zest, lemon juice and baking powder and blend.
8. Pour mixture into cooled crust.
9. Bake for 25 - 28 minutes until center is set.
10. Cool, then refridgerate for 2 hours.
11. Beforre serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining lemon zest.
12. You will be able to lift the squares out of the baking dish by gently lifi=ting out the foil before you cut into squares.