A classic for a reason and try the grapefruit variation.
There are many many recipes for lemon squares out there, but nothing beats Martha Stewart’s for ease of preparation and sheer lemonyness. They are a classic, just like your mother’s.
Crust
| ¾ c | (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, frozen, plus more to coat the dish |
| 1¾ c | flour |
| ¾ c | icing sugar |
| ¾ t | coarse salt |
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish and line with parchment paper. Set aside. Grate frozen butter on a cheese grater with large holes; set aside. Whisk together flour, icing sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and stir until combined (mixture will look crumbly). Transfer to the prepared dish and press evenly onto the bottom. Freeze crust for 15 minutes, then bake until slightly golden, about 16-18 minutes.
Leave oven on.
Meanwhile, make the top layer.
Lemon Filling
| 4 lg | eggs, lightly beaten |
| 1⅓ c | sugar |
| 3 T | flour |
| ¼ t | coarse salt |
| ¾ c | fresh lemon juice (roughly 5 lemons) |
| ¼ c | whole milk |
| icing sugar, for dusting |
Whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, flour and salt in a bowl until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and milk.
Variation: Grapefruit Filling
| 1½ c | sugar |
| ¼ c | flour |
| 4 lg | eggs |
| 1 T | grapefruit zest |
| ¾ c | grapefruit juice (about 1 large Ruby Red grapefruit) |
Whisk the sugar and flour together in a bowl. Add each egg, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Then whisk in the zest and juice.
Either filling:
Pour the filling over the warm crust.
Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF and bake until the filling is set and edges are slightly golden brown, about 18 minutes. Let cool slightly on a wire rack. Lift out; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into 2-inch squares. Dust with the icing sugar. Makes about two dozen.
