Old-Fashioned Lemon Squares

There are certain baked goods that elicit a fierce loyalty amongst their fans.  They bring out strong feelings about the way they should rightfully be prepared (often related to the childhood of said person, and their relationship to the person who used to bake the item for them), and they bring out perceptible shock and confusion when faced with any person who does not share their opinions and deep-seated affection for said item.

Lemon Bars

Lemon tarts, or lemon bars as they are also known, are such a baked good.  People who love them, love them. I once spent a very long time making my grandfather a chocolate cake from a particularly famous recipe, and after he finished his slice he said to me, “You know what I like?”  “What?” I said (expecting a compliment on the rich filling, the moist cake, something like that).  “Lemon,” he said wistfully.

Really.

Lemon Squares: With the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness, these go out to all the lemon bar lovers out there.

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Sweet Tart Lemon Squares

The filling in these squares, or bars, is a bit tart (I don’t see the point of too-sweet lemon squares), but not confrontational.  Adding a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream offers a creamier, silkier texture to the filling, and a smoother citrus experience.

Sometimes lemon zest is added to the filling, and while I love the extra burst of citrus, I’m more in love with a super smooth filling, so I skip it, but you can add a teaspoon or so of zest if you like.

Lemon squares are done when the outer edges start to turn golden, and the middle is set, not loose or jiggly.

How to Serve Lemon Bars

Lemon squares or bars are traditionally served with a generous dusting of confectioners’ sugar. If you want to gild the lily, serve these with some sweetened whipped cream on the side.  

To get very clean edges on your lemon squares, either spray a sharp knife with nonstick cooking spray, or dip it into a cup of warm water, and wipe it dry between each cut. This will prevent the lemon bars from sticking. I forgot to do this, so my lemon squares aren’t quite as neat and tidy as they could be – but still completely delicious!

Storage

Lemon squares should be stored in the refrigerator. Because of the egg-based custard, they can go bad if stored at room temperature. Stor the squares in a tightly covered container with a piece of wax or parchment paper in between each layer of squares.  Don’t dust them with confectioners’ sugar until just before serving. If you are storing leftover squares, you’ll want to keep them an additional dusting of confectioners’ sugar before serving them.

You can also freeze lemon squares. To freeze the whole batch, wait until they have completely cooled, then place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface. Wrap the entire block or individual squares with aluminum foil of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 months.

More Lemon Desserts:

• Atlantic Beach Pie
• Lemon Meringue Pie
• Lemon Curd
• Sparkling Limoncello Cocktail (not a dessert but would be amazing with these bars!)