michelle is an EXCEPTIONAL cook. making everything from scratch (raising bees for honey, rendering her own lard, making butter...) and only using whole, organic ingredients (they have an incredible urban garden, and seriously, you have never seen pies like the pies michelle makes). she is a daily inspiration and also one of the kindest women i am lucky enough to call a friend.
today, i get to share her incredible lemon square recipe. there is very little in life that i love more than lemon squares, and this recipe offers the perfect compliment to the chocolate and butter filled desserts that traditionally make their way into our stomachs during the holidays.
delightfully lemony lemon squares
:: ingredients ::
- crust -
1 cup organic, unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup icing/confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold, chopped into small pieces)
- filling -
3 large free range, organic eggs
1 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (approx 2-3 lemons)
1 1/2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest (1-2 lemons)
3 tbsp organic, unbleached all purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
:: directions ::
line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper (makes removal so easy)
preheat oven to 350 degrees
- crust -
mix flour, icing/confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl.
add cold chopped butter and mix with your fingers until crumbly.
press mixture into prepared pan in an even layer. bake for 15 minutes and set aside.
- filling -
beat eggs with a whisk until super frothy. slowly add cane sugar until just combined.
add lemon juice and zest and mix well.
mix flour and salt together in a tiny bowl and sift or whisk into lemon mixture.
pour filling over the baked crust and bake for about 15 minutes until the top sets (it should have tiny bubbles on the surface and the edges should be slightly browned and pulling away from parchment paper.)
let cool for an hour or more before cutting, dust the top with confectioners sugar if desired.
remove by pulling the edges of the parchment paper and place onto a cutting board. cut into desired size- makes 12 rectangular bars or 16 smaller squares.
enjoy! xo
view more 12 days of baking recipes HERE
