Four Nights A Week

Gourmet Magazine, RIP 2009, was one of my favorite sources for challenging my cooking and baking chops.

This recipe, hand copied by me after it appeared in July 1983 – that’s 40 years ago if you’re keeping track – was a favorite bar cookie, brought to many gatherings. Because we have some folks with walnut allergies in my family now, I’d need to find a substitute for the walnuts, but today, knowing I was going to be visiting a friend soon who has a great affinity for all things lemony, I made it as the recipe developer meant.

In researching the source for this bar, I came across another Gourmet lemon bar, without the nuts in the short crust. Here’s a link to that in case you are looking to eliminate that possible allergen. But for me, the original, including ground walnuts, is the bomb.

Lemon Walnut Squares

Gourmet Magazine, July 1983

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 3 TBSP AP Flour
• 1/2 cup finely ground walnuts
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 TBSP lemon juice
• 2 tsp grated lemon rind
• 1/2 tsp double acting baking powder
• Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling

Method

1. Blend butter, brown sugar, 1 cup of the flour, and 1/2 cup ground walnuts until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press all but 1/2 cup of this mixture (reserve for later) into a 9-inch square pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes (edges should be golden).
2. Beat eggs lightly. Stir in granulate sugar, 3 Tablespoons of the flour, lemon juice, lemon rind, and baking powder.
3. When the crust comes out of the oven, pour the lemon mixture on top of the baked crust. Sprinkle evenly with the reserved 1/2 cup walnut/butter mixture.
4. Bake in the 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through to brown the top evenly.
5. Let cool in the pan. Cut into squares and sprinkle with the confectioners’ sugar. May be made 24 hours in advance.