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Zingy classic lemon squares with extra crunch

Recipe: Meyer lemon squares with candied almond crust

These Meyer lemon bars gain some extra crunch from candied almonds.

These Meyer lemon bars gain some extra crunch from candied almonds. Debbie Arrington

This has been a great winter for local citrus. Trees all over the greater Sacramento area are hanging heavy with fresh lemons, oranges, kumquats and more.

That includes my Meyer lemon. My little 5-foot tree usually doesn’t produce that many lemons, but this season’s crop is exceptional with huge, juicy fruit.

This classic lemon square recipe makes the most of those juicy, almost-sweet Meyer lemons. It more than doubles the amount of juice and zest used in most traditional lemon squares or bars, intensifying the lemon zing but not the pucker. (I wouldn’t try this with a Eureka lemon.)

The candied almonds add crunch as well as flavor to the crust plus a little more sweetness to balance all that tart lemon flavor.

Cut into 2-inch squares (snack size) or 4-inch bars (for dessert). Either way, it’s a seasonal treat.

Meyer lemon squares with candied almond crust

Makes 16 squares or 8 bars

Ingredients:

For crust:

½ cup honey-roasted, orange-flavored or other candied almond

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup powdered sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

For lemon layer:

1 cup sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest

Baked bars in pan
Just out of the oven.  Chill the bars
before cutting and serving.

Powdered sugar for topping

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare an 8-inch square baking pan. Grease bottom and sides well. Set aside.

In a food processor, chop candied almonds. Add flour and ¼ cup powdered sugar. Pulse to combine. Add melted butter to food processor. Pulse to combine.

Transfer flour-almond mixture to prepared pan. With the back of a fork or spoon, press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan to form the bottom crust.

Bake crust at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

While the crust is baking, prepare the lemon layer. In a bowl, whisk together sugar and baking powder. Whisk eggs into sugar mixture. Add lemon juice and zest. Whisk until well combined.

After the crust bakes for 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven. Let cool slightly (1 or 2 minutes) so the pan is easier to handle. Pour the lemon mixture evenly over the warm crust and return the pan to the oven.

lemon-and-slices.jpg
These bars make great use of Meyer lemons.

Bake for 30 more minutes or until the lemon layer is set and the top is lightly golden.

Remove pan from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Transfer pan to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour.

Remove the pan from the refrigerator and sprinkle powdered sugar liberally over the top. With a sharp knife and a metal spatula, cut the chilled cookies into 16 squares (2 by 2 inches) or 8 bars (2 by 4 inches).

Serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.

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Garden Checklist for week of Feb. 2

During this stormy week, let the rain soak in while making plans for all the things you’re going to plant soon:

* During rainy weather, turn off the sprinklers. After a good soaking from winter storms, lawns can go at least a week without sprinklers, according to irrigation experts. For an average California home, that week off from watering can save 800 gallons.

* February serves as a wake-up call to gardeners. This month, you can transplant or direct-seed several flowers, including snapdragon, candytuft, lilies, astilbe, larkspur, Shasta and painted daisies, stocks, bleeding heart and coral bells.

* In the vegetable garden, plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers, and strawberry and rhubarb roots.

* Transplant cabbage and its close cousins – broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts – as well as lettuce (both loose leaf and head).

* Indoors, start peppers, tomatoes and eggplant from seed.

* Plant artichokes, asparagus and horseradish from root divisions.

* Plant potatoes from tubers and onions from sets (small bulbs). The onions will sprout quickly and can be used as green onions in March.

* From seed, plant beets, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes and turnips.

* Annuals are showing up in nurseries, but wait until the weather warms up a bit before planting. Instead, set out flowering perennials such as columbine and delphinium.

* Plant summer-flowering bulbs including cannas, calla lilies and gladiolus.

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