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1 large lemon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup raisins
2 tsp vanilla
4 egg
2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened medium shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Lightly oil a 9X13-in. (3-L) baking dish, then line with parchment paper. Finely grate peel from lemon and squeeze juice. Place half of peel in a large bowl. Set juice and remaining peel aside. Add butter and brown sugar to lemon peel in bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Gradually stir in flour just until combined. Press crust firmly onto bottom of prepared baking dish. Bake in centre of oven just until light golden around edges, 15 min.
Meanwhile, for filling, stir raisins with vanilla. Cover and microwave on high for 30 sec. In a large bowl, whisk eggs with sugar and salt until well mixed. Measure out 2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice, then stir into egg mixture along with coconut, nuts, reserved lemon peel and raisins. Pour over warm crust and evenly spread out. Bake in centre of oven until centre is slightly jiggly and top is dark golden, 30 to 35 min. Remove to a wire rack. Let cool completely before cutting into squares or triangles. (They will be easier to cut if refrigerated overnight first.) If making ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 2 months.
Calories 266, Carbohydrates 35g, Fat 14g, Fibre 2g, Sodium 71mg.
Bee Vrskovy: retired bookkeeper, Victoria, Finalist, Holiday Cookie Contest The recipe for these zesty lemon squares came from Bee Vrskovy's mother-in-law. It took Bee some time to get up the nerve to ask for it, but once she did, it quickly became the ace in her own baking repertoire. She's written out the recipe countless times over the past 20 years and it's no wonder. These squares are simple to make, freeze like a dream and are guaranteed to win you over from the first lemony bite.