Lemon Squares

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When I think dessert, I think chocolate. Whatever dessert you bring me, it has to have chocolate in some forms. Except for pies, cobblers, crisps...or anything with fruits. But please, no chocolate ice cream, that's just too much chocolate. Dessert is complicated.

I have never been a fan of lemon squares (or lemon bars), simply because the ones I ever had came from a box and loaded with sugar. Nothing kills it more than artificial lemon flavor.

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Just so happened that lemon squares are one of Jake's favorites.
I made these squares with fresh lemon juice, zest, and more than half of the sugar.
The zing and tang reminds me of Summer.
I guess I could live without chocolate for a day.


Here is my pre-race night dinner. Homemade cheese pizza with broccoli.

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Pizza and lemon squares, I am ready to run.

Lemon Squares

(Recipe adapted from Eatingwell.com)

Crust
1 all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

 Filling

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice (about juice of three lemons)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

1. To prepare crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Stir flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Use a pastry blender, mix in butter, oil and lemon zest until blended and crumbly. Press the dough in an even layer in the prepared baking pan. Bake the crust until firm to the touch, about 20 minutes.
3. To prepare filling: Whisk sugar, lemon zest and juice, eggs, and flour in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour evenly over the hot crust.
4. Bake until set, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least 2 hours. Cut into squares with a lightly oiled knife. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

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