Lemon Coconut Crunch Squares
I LOVE lemon and I also really like coconut! These addicting squares are a perfect combination of both. They are great to add to a dainty tray at Christmas or to serve at a BBQ. There is an ingredient that you certainly would not expect to be in them!
These squares are from the Book of Helene where the origin is unknown but they have become a family favorite. I only recently started making them but my mom has made them many times. Last Christmas I wanted to add them to my dainty platter and I called my mom for the recipe. She said, "the soda cracker ones?"... and I said, "no, the lemon squares" ..to which she replied, "ya, they have soda crackers in them"... I honestly had no idea! My friend Ashlee and I made a pan during our annual 8 hour Christmas baking spectacular...after all of the 'taste testing' that was 'required' we only had half of a pan left...
More recently, my friend Kendra had her beautiful baby girl. On her baby shower registry she listed home-cooked meals. So I obviously signed up for that! I made her and her partner some Baked Potato Soup with all the fixings and THESE lemon squares! I also saved some for my lovely teammate at work. The three of us are lemon lovers.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/3 cup Soda crackers
3/4 cup Butter or Margarine
1/2 cup White sugar
3/4 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup Unsweetened coconut
1 tsp Baking powder
3 Eggs beaten
1 Lemon rind and juice
1 cup White sugar
1/4 cup Margarine
DIRECTIONS:
First, finely roll approximately 1 sleeve of soda crackers. I have done this in my food processor but the traditional Pastula way is to put them in a freezer Ziploc bag and whack it with the rolling pin....effective and fun. The sleeve of soda crackers should make up 1 1/3 cup.
Next you make the crumble which will form the bottom layer as well as the topping.
In a large bowl combine the soda cracker crumbs, white sugar, flour, coconut, and baking powder. Mix well. Then cut in the 3/4 cup of butter. I like to use a pastry blender. When you are done this mixture will form a crumble. Remove one cup of crumble from the bowl and set that cup aside. This will be the topping. Press the remaining crumble firmly into a 9x9 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
Note - I like to use my silicone pan or alternatively a pan lined with parchment paper. I like to cool the squares really well and then lift out the whole finished square so that I can cut it into pieces on a bread board - no more trying to get little pieces out of the pan and scratching the bottom. Whatever you decide to do is fine. If you are not using a silicone pan or parchment paper I would spray the sides of the pan as the lemon filling will stick to the sides if you do not.
While the crust is baking you can make the lemon filling. In a heavy pot or double boiler beat the three eggs and then add the margarine, lemon rind and juice, and well as sugar. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thickened.
Confession - I have thickened the the filling to what I thought was thick enough but once everything was together I could tell it should have been thicker as the squares were a bit messy. However, they were EXTRA good! Now I bring the filling mixture to a boil and then remove from the heat. Since I started bringing it to a boil I have never had this problem.
Spread the thickened lemon filling over the baked crust then sprinkle the one cup of crumble that you set aside earlier. Return the pan to the oven until the crumble is slightly browned on top. Remove from the oven to cool.
I cut and packed up most of my squares safely away but I saved four squares for myself to photograph and enjoy. Taking photos is easier said then done with a naughty husky. While adjusting my camera he leaped over the baby-gate to check things out. It is pretty hard to get mad at this guy but there was certainly no way that he was going to rob me of my treat...out you go mister...
Enjoy!!