Lemon Square Bites

 
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If you are a citrusy lemon lover, I promise you will adore this video. This recipe was my best-kept secret for a long time. It is a hit at any occasion in any season, heavenly morsels may I say. The crust is chewy and the topping, once it sets, is creamy, velvety and tantalises every taste bud. The secret is in using real lemon juice, yep there is no way around this, and I always use unwaxed lemons as I know they would be freshly picked.

Growing up, my sister Mai way the queen of desserts and baking, I have vivid memories of her speciality lemon meringue pie, we would wipe the plate clean in one sitting, LOL, back then our hips could manage desserts very well. The flavour is very similar to lemon curd, but the texture is totally different, while the lemon curd is citrusy, smooth and creamy this topping is citrusy, firm and yes melts in the mouth. This recipe is so easy to make ahead and takes hardly any time, cut it into small morsels which are the perfect bite to satisfy any craving. 

Roll up the sleeves and get baking.

 

 

Servings: 36 squares 4x4 cm 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Start to finish: 50 minutes

 

 

Ingredients:

 

For the crust: 

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup rice flour

  • 1/2 cup icing sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon 

  • salt

  • 120 grams cold cubed butter

 

For the topping :

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 1/2 cups caster sugar or any other sugar you prefer

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • 6 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

 

 

Method:

 

• Preheat oven to 180 C on the fan setting.

 

• Place all the crust ingredients into a food processor and mix until it resembles bread crumbs.

 

• Line a 20x30 cm tray with baking paper.

 

• Tip the crust mixture onto the tray and press down with hands to spread evenly and make it compact. 

 

• Place in the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 12 minutes.

 

• Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and sugar until creamy then add the flour, lemon juice and zest and keep whisking.

 

• Pour the topping over the semi-baked crust and return to the oven for 20 minutes.  Make sure the surface does not brown.

 

• Let it cool down and then place in the fridge, preferably for a minimum of 6 hours to set, preferably overnight.

 

• When ready to cut, take it out of the tray by pulling the baking paper on both sides upwards, lifting up the crust and place on a chopping board.  Cut with a sharp knife to the desired size/ shape. To achieve clean cuts, wipe the blade with a damp cloth before making any new incisions. 

 

• Dust with icing sugar, top with blueberries and serve.

 

Notes:

• Always use fresh unwaxed lemons.

• If you like a thick crust, then you can double the crust recipe and follow the same steps.

• The tray needs to set in the fridge overnight before cutting.

• Experiment using a blend of lime and lemons for a different flavour.

• Follow the same steps using gluten-free flour for a GF lemon bite.

• Keep in the fridge for 4 days.

• Suitable for freezing.

 

 

Per Serving: 115 Calories; 5g Fat (41.2% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 7mg Cholesterol; 78mg Sodium.  

 
Dessert, Desserts, International, VegetarianMaha Nakli