Tangy Lemon Squares

Last night I was spoilt. By a very generous friend who surprised me with dinner at Uccello@Ivy. She is a naughty girl, but I so appreciated such a thoughtful pre-birthday present. Our meals were exquisite. Mine consisted of Beetroot & goats cheese ravioli, lemon butter, crispy sage; Oven roasted fillet of snapper, braised fennel & endive, Sicilian green olives & thyme; Warm pear tart with brandy frangipane & pistachio emulsion. Then scrumptious sides of Wood fired potatoes, spanish onion & Mixed green salad. The service was exceptional, atmosphere inviting and the food just all round spectacular. I can honestly say that I am SO not used to restaurant experiences like this one. It was a real treat. Just a delightful evening.

Yesterday I decided to try another recipe that has been patiently awaiting it's turn for a run, in my collection of clippings. Ingredients for Lemony Coconut Squares set to go, oven preheating and then I discover that in my haste of snipping, I failed to snip the recipe in it's entirety from the Women's Weekly Mag. Problem being I just recycled my stack of mags last week, so had no chance of finding the extra steps I was missing for the method part of the recipe. I wasn't prepared to risk baking it on guesswork, so I went about sourcing an alternative from a cookbook bible, The Australian Women's Weekly...appropriately titled... 'Cook': How to cook absolutely everything. They are not kidding, this book is the last word in home cooking. It is brilliant and I really should use it more often because it offers up winning numbers like this delicacy. So sweet, refreshing and light. It is all lemony goodness and super simple to make.

Tangy Lemon Squares

125g Butter

1/4 cup (40g) icing sugar

1 1/4 cups (185g) plain flour

3 eggs

1 cup (220g) caster sugar

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

1/2 cup (125ml) lemon juice

Preheat oven to moderate (160 degrees fan-forced). Grease 23cm square pan; line base and two opposite sides with baking paper

Beat butter and sifted icing sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until smooth

Stir in 1 cup of the sifted flour

Press mixture over base of pan

Bake, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until browned lightly

Place eggs, caster sugar, remaining sifted flour, rind and juice in medium bowl; whisk until combined

Pour egg mixture over hot base

Bake, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until firm

Cool in pan on wire rack

Lift slice from pan before cutting & dust with extra icing sugar

Baking sweets & photographing sweets... fast becoming two of my favourite pastimes