Lemon Squares

The classic: a lemon filling with lemon zest and a buttery shortbread crust.

When you have a catering company called The Lemon Sisters Market, you must have Lemon Bars (as we called them) available all the time. I had other restaurants that ordered them for their customers. The local Denver Post newspaper wanted to put the recipe in the Post, and when I asked Mom if she cared, she laughed. She was surprised that they wanted such an easy recipe. It’s a childhood classic for many people. This past weekend I made them for the women’s shelter where I volunteer every month. So many of the guests remembered either making them for their kids or eating them as a kid. You can’t go wrong serving a classic!

Lemon Squares

A classic lemon filling with lemon zest and a buttery shortbread crust.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 32 squares

Equipment

• 1 food processor
• 1 13 x 9 baking pan
• 1 bowl to mix the filling
• 1 wire whisk

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 1/4 teas. salt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups unbleached white flour
• 4 eggs beaten
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 TBLS. lemon juice
• 1 TBLS. lemon zest or the zest of one lemon

Instructions

 

• Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Make the bottom crust: Put 1 cup of cold butter (cut into pieces) in the food processor with 1/4 teas. salt, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 cups of flour.

  Process until the butter is in small pieces. (Should look like cornmeal).
• Lightly press the crust into a 13 x 9 baking pan that has been greased or sprayed well.

  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly for 5 or 10 minutes.

  Turn the oven down to 325 degrees.
• Meanwhile make the filling: Beat 4 eggs in a bowl and add 2 cups of sugar, 1/4 cup flour. Zest your lemon and add. Squeeze the juice. Add 6 TLBS of lemon juice and mix well. (You can use bottled lemon juice if you don't get enough juice out of your lemon.)

  Pour over the slightly cooked crust.
• Bake at 325 for 25 minutes or until set. (It should not jiggle at all when you test it). When it is cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

  Cut into 32 pieces. (4 x 8)

Notes

I buy one lemon, zest it and use the juice. The rest of the lemon juice I need comes out of a bottle. 

Keyword lemon custard, shortbread