Sunday, August 21, 2011

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

14 comments:

  1. Yum! I hope you are sharing... I'll bring the coffee! Just let us all know your address and we'll be right round!

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  2. Yum! Mr S would absolutely love those!
    Glad you had a great night out, your meal sounds amazing. xx

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  3. Another delicious recipe. And your dinner sounds delish too. I'm making your raspberry blondie tomorrow after the school run. Can't wait! Hope you had a great weekend. gxo

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  4. Far out they look good!!
    Might just have to give these a go - only trouble I will have is not eating them all at once!

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  5. Your dinner out sounds amazing - you lucky girl you!! And yummo - this one is on my list to make this week. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Alison x

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  6. Yum - to both experiences!
    My mouth is watering here.
    Glad you were suitably spoilt.
    :-)

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  7. anything with lemon in it gets my vote and those look YUM!!!

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  8. Oh Yum!! I'm a sucker for any lovely lemony treat and these look perfectly delicious. Thanks for sharing xx

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  9. Those look ridiculously good - coconut AND lemon?? Yumm!!

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  10. You've just reminded me that it's a quarter to one and I had brekky hours and hours ago! They look totally delicious, I can almost taste that lemony goodness, yumm!

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  11. I love citrus desserts!! And GREAT photos. :)

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  12. Lemony treats tick all the boxes for us, my kids even eat lemons like oranges :)

    How lovely to be treated to a meal out...and mighty delicious it sounds too.

    x

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  13. Oh gosh these sound divine! I finally have an oven in our HK apartment, so I will have to bookmark this recipe to make some time soon. Yum!

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