A refreshing lemon filling sandwiched between a delightfully crunchy pecan shortbread crust and a creamy white chocolate whipped cream: the perfect lemon square! #dessert #lemon #pecans #shortbread #whitechocolate #cream #vegan
Meyer lemon season is a wonderful time of year here in Southern California. These large, sweet, deep yellow lemons are what citrus dreams are made of. And having (almost) more than you know what to do with is a problem that is nearly too good to be true. So when life gives you lemons ... say thank you very much and make lemon squares! This dessert is a wonderful way to use up these lemon dreams because it requires a significant amount of fresh lemon juice and zest - and the sweetness of the Meyer lemons means less added sugar! Feel free to use any type of lemon, just adjust the sugar as needed. Enjoy!
Yields 20 Squares
Ingredients:
Pecan Shortbread Crust
1 Cup unbleached all purpose flour
½ Cup whole-wheat pastry flour
¼ Cup sugar
½ Cup + 2 Tablespoons earth balance butter sticks (melted)
1/8 Teaspoon salt
1 Cup pecans (chopped)
Meyer Lemon Filling
2 Packages firm silken tofu
2 Cups natural cane sugar
Zest from 4-5 lemons
1 1/3 Cup Meyer lemon juice
½ Cup unbleached all purpose flour
½ Cup arrowroot
Top with White Chocolate Whipped Cream (link)
Directions:
First prepare the shortbread crust. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and oil a 9”x11” baking dish.
Combine all ingredients for the crust together in a small bowl and press into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 10 minutes
While the crust is baking, blend the tofu, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth. Add the flour and arrowroot and blend again until well combined.
Pour the mixture over the crust and bake for 45-55 minutes or until well set.
Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before topping with the white chocolate whipped cream. Store in the refrigerator to keep the topping set.
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