Lemon Spritz Squares Food

LEMON BARS RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 or an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the crust by creaming the butter with a hand or a stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment) until smooth. Add powdered sugar, flour, and salt and mix slowly until the mixture is crumbly but sticks together when you press it between your fingers. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 13 minutes, or until it just starts to get a light golden brown around the edges.
• While the crust is baking, whisk the eggs until beaten. Whisk in the sugar, lemon zest, salt, and lemon juice. Pour over hot crust, then continue to bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the mixture is no longer liquid in the center and it's lightly golden brown on top.
• Cool completely before removing from pan. Remove foil, then dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve, dusting with more powdered sugar as desired.

BEST LEMON SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Process 2 cups flour, butter, and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges of the crust are golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool crust to room temperature.
• Beat white sugar, eggs, 1/4 cup flour, lemon juice, baking powder, and lemon zest together in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy; pour onto the cooled crust.
• Bake in the oven until custard is set, 25 to 28 minutes. Cool lemon squares completely; dust the top with more confectioners' sugar.

LEMON SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and both extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
• Fill a cookie press with the dough according to the manufacturer?s directions; press the dough 1 1/2 inches apart onto unlined baking sheets. Decorate with sanding sugar and/or nonpareils.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are golden around the edges, 14 to 17 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

ZUCCHINI AND GRUYERE FRITTATA SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-by-18-by-1-inch sheet pan with olive oil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute for 5 minutes, until it begins to brown. Add the leeks and saute for 5 minutes, until tender. Add the zucchini and thyme and saute for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir in two-thirds of the Gruyere and the basil.
• Pour the zucchini mixture in an even, well distributed layer into the prepared sheet pan. Pour the egg mixture over the top and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere. Shake the pan to evenly distribute the egg mixture. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until puffed and just set in the center. Allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Cut the frittata into 30 equal size squares, sprinkle with salt, garnish with the julienned basil and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

LEMON SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat butter and cream cheese together in a bowl using an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add flour and salt gradually until dough is combined.
• Shape dough into small logs; place a log into a cookie press and press out onto ungreased cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining dough logs.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes.

LIMONCELLO CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a 9 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.
• Blend the ricotta in a clean food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese and sugar and blend well, stopping the machine occasionally and scraping down the sides of the work bowl. Blend in the limoncello, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Add the eggs one at a time, and pulse just until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the baking pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour (the cake will become firm when it is cold).
• Transfer the cake to a rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Cut the cake into squares and serve.
• *Limoncello liqueur can be found at most liquor stores and in the liquor department of some specialty markets. If limoncello liqueur is unavailable at stores near you, use the following recipe to make your own limoncello liqueur.
• Limoncello:
• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.
• Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
• Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.
• Makes: 7 cups
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Inactive Prep Time: 4 days and 4 hours

LEMON SQUARES

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Mix the flour and confectioners' sugar in a bowl and add the melted butter, mixing until a dough forms. Press the mixture firmly into a 9- by 13- by 2-inch pan. Bake the crust for 25 minutes.
• For the filling: While the crust is baking, with an electric mixer, combine the eggs, lemon juice and zest until smooth. Add the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and salt, and beat until smooth. Pour the mixture over the baked crust. Bake for 20 minutes more.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely. Sprinkle the top with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares and serve.

LEMON SPRITZ SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the sugar cookie mix and cream cheese until well blended and smooth.
• Add the flour in 3 parts.
• Add eggs and lemon extract and mix until just incorporated.
• Fold in lemon zest.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out dough to a 12 x 14 inch rectangle.
• Using a fluted pastry cutter(if you have one), I use a butter knife, cut dough into 2 inch squares.
• Place squares 1 inch apart on a ungreased cookie sheet(I lightly spray cooking spray).
• Put in freezer for 10 minutes.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes until bottoms are golden brown and tops are set.
• Cool on wire racks.
• Dust with powdered sugar.