Everyday Living Lemon Squares

Submitted by peggylyn

"I quickly wrote the ingredients and directions down as these were being prepared on a local television program. I believe it was Martha Stewart's Everyday Living. Posted here as they look delicious and I don't want to lose the recipe! Hope you enjoy."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 25mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 16

ingredients

• For The Crust

• 3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup cornstarch
• 1⁄3 cup powdered sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup butter, cut in tablespoon sized pieces (cold)

• For The Filling

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice (about five lemons)

• For the topping

• 1⁄4 cup sifted powdered sugar

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper and grease lightly.
3. Combine flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar and salt that are listed as crust ingredients-either by hand or pulse several times in a food processor.
4. Add cold butter and process in machine or by hand until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Press into bottom of pan and a little way up the sides of pan to give it a little extra crust.
6. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
7. Bake for 20 minutes in 350°F preheated oven. Remove from oven and reduce oven heat to 325°F.
8. For the filling, beat the four large eggs, then add sugar and mix that in well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder, mix well and add to bowl containing eggs and sugar.
9. Mix well again and to that add your 2/3 cup of fresh lemon juice, mix until blended.
10. Pour batter evenly over your baked crust.
11. Bake in the preheated 325 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, checking after 20 for doneness.
12. When out of the oven and cooled sprinkle the top of the squares with sifted powdered sugar to taste, lift the parchment paper out of the pan, and cut into squares.
13. Number of squares depends on how large you want them to be.
14. *Cook time reflects 15 minutes for chilling the crust*.

Reviews

[Recipe Mavin]

This recipe was absolutely FANTASTIC. Very easy to make. My crust came out perfect and just barely browned on the bottom. This is a very rich dessert and the servings don't need to be very large. I also use the Raspberry Sauce (#34615) and made a reduction out of it. Then drizzled it over the lemon squares just be for serving. YUMMIE!

 

[MissAli]

Really, really good- everyone is going to flip over these. My only problem is that my crust was a little too brown for my taste. Next time, I'll lower the oven temp a bit, and they will be perfect! Thanks Martha Stewart and Peggy Lynn!

 

[erryn_kruppi]

I just made these as part of my holiday baking. They have only been out of the oven for 10 minutes but I had to try them before I go to bed...they're perfect, as preciously commented! The crust is exactly like my shortbread cookies and the filling is just sweet enough and just lemon-y enough (not that I'm sure there is such a thing as "too much" lemon) I made a couple of small changes...I only had extra large eggs so I only used 3, and I nuked my lemons for 10 seconds before juicing and got almost 3/4 cup of juice from 3 lemons med. sized lemons, so I used it all. Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[Food Snob]

Oh these were awesome! Talk about some pucker power! My dh thought the real lemons were a bit too 'lemony' but I thought they were superb. The crust is PERFECT and melts in your mouth, so delicate. Definitly great for a baby or bridal shower or even a bake sale or afternoon tea or.....

 

[GaylaJ]

Perfect! The crust is so delicate it literally melts in your mouth, and the filling is packed with fresh lemon flavor. I followed the recipe exactly, except my only square pans are 8-inch, so I opted for a 7x11-inch pan. My lemons were huge, so I was able (after briefly warming them in the microwave) to squeeze 2/3 cup juice from only 2 1/2 lemons. Fantastic lemon bars--thanks for posting the recipe!