Ultimate Lemon Squares Recipes

LEMON SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Pat into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 16-20 minutes or until set and top is golden brown., For topping, combine the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Pour over crust (pan will be full). Bake 16-20 minutes or until set and top is golden brown. Cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares.

BEST LEMON SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Process 2 cups flour, butter, and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges of the crust are golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool crust to room temperature.
• Beat white sugar, eggs, 1/4 cup flour, lemon juice, baking powder, and lemon zest together in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy; pour onto the cooled crust.
• Bake in the oven until custard is set, 25 to 28 minutes. Cool lemon squares completely; dust the top with more confectioners' sugar.

THE BEST LEMON SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Lightly grease an 9x9" square baking dish with butter.
• For the base, process the flour and confectioners sugar in a food processor for several seconds.
• Add the butter and process until the dough comes together, 20-30 seconds.
• Press the dough gently and evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Glaze it with the egg white: Pour the egg white on the dough and tip the pan from side to side so that the egg white spreads over the surface. Pour out the excess.
• Bake the base on the center oven rack until golden, about 20-25 minutes.
• Place the base in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to cool completely. Keep the oven on.
• Meanwhile prepare the topping: Gently whisk the eggs in a medium-size bowl until lightly mixed.
• Add the remaining topping ingredients and continue to whisk gently until they are blended.
• Pour the topping evenly over the base. .
• Bake until the top is set and golden, about 20-25 minutes. .
• Allow the lemon squares to cool completely.
• Sprinkle the surface with confectioners sugar and cut into squares with a sharp knife that is dipped in hot water and wiped dry before each cut.
• Tip: If you plan to keep the squares longer than a day, put them in an air-tight container and refrigerate. You can also freeze them.

LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
• Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
• For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
• Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

LEMON SQUARES

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Mix the flour and confectioners' sugar in a bowl and add the melted butter, mixing until a dough forms. Press the mixture firmly into a 9- by 13- by 2-inch pan. Bake the crust for 25 minutes.
• For the filling: While the crust is baking, with an electric mixer, combine the eggs, lemon juice and zest until smooth. Add the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and salt, and beat until smooth. Pour the mixture over the baked crust. Bake for 20 minutes more.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely. Sprinkle the top with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares and serve.

ULTIMATE LEMON SQUARES (NICK MALGIERI)

Steps:

• Butter and line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with buttered parchment or foil.
• Position oven rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°.
• In a standing mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed.
• Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla; continue beating a minute or two, until light.
• Decrease speed and beat in the flour.
• Spread the dough over the bottom of prepared pan, using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth it.
• Bake the base for about 20-25 minutes, until golden and baked through.
• While the base is baking, prepare the topping; be careful not to overmix the topping, or it will have a coarse textured foam on the top when baked.
• In a big bowl, whisk the eggs just to break them up.
• Whisk in the sugar, then the lemon juice and zest.
• As soon as the base is baked, remove it from the oven and pour on the topping.
• Immediately return pan to oven and keep baking another 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is set and firm.
• Cool on a rack until completely cooled.
• To cut, use the paper to transfer it to a cutting board and slide a long knife or spatula until it to loosen the paper or foil, then pull away.
• Trim the edges, use a ruler to mark, then cut into 2-inch squares.
• Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

THE BEST LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
• Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. For a festive tray, make another pan using limes instead of lemons and adding a drop of green food coloring to give a very pale green. After both pans have cooled, cut into uniform 2 inch squares and arrange in a checker board fashion.