Lemon Desserts
My mother loved almost anything lemony, so I'd like to think she'd love these Lemon Desserts. In fact, on the rare occasion that I splurge buying a dozen donuts (usually at Dunkin' Donuts), I feel that I should include at least one lemon-filled donut. (Yes, she loved them a lot.)
Mom
Here are six yummy lemon desserts that would be sure to please Mom (and hopefully you, too!), including Lemon Meringue Cookies and Lemon Tofu Cheesecake. Enjoy!
LEMON SQUARES
This is from Susan Mahnke Perry and adapted by Dena Kleinman in The New York Times cooking email. For this recipe, Dena wrote, "The recipe for these sweet, tart squares, adapted from the “Wellesley Cookie Exchange Cookbook” by Susan Mahnke Peery, was published in The Times in December 1990, part of a Christmas cookie roundup. But they can be made for just about any occasion, whether you’re in the holiday spirit or just craving something with a little pucker. The buttery shortbread mellows a lemon topping, as does the dusting of confectioners' sugar. Make it to cap off a weeknight dinner, or for a weekend afternoon snack, paired with a cup of tea."
Time: 1 hour; Yield: 16 servings
This was featured in "The Spirit of Christmas Past Lives On in Traditional Cookies", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1725-lemon-squares.
Ingredients
2 cups flour, plus 1/4 cup
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 2 teaspoons
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice (from about 1 to 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together two cups flour, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and salt. Add melted butter and stir to thoroughly combine. Spread with clean hands in an even layer into a 9-by-13-inch pan and bake for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice, baking powder and remaining flour. Pour onto the hot baked shell and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until just set. Using a small, fine meshed sieve, sift remaining confectioners' sugar on top when cool. Cut into equal bars.
BEST LEMON BARS
This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking email. For this recipe, Julia wrote, "Lemon bars are all about contrast: sour lemon and sweet sugar, crumbly base and creamy topping, buttery crust and tart filling. Two common ingredients lift this recipe above the pack: baking powder for a fluffy filling and shredded coconut for a rich, round-tasting crust. (Once baked, the coconut flavor almost disappears.) Bakers who avoid preservatives will find an easy version of homemade sweetened coconut in the tip below the recipe.) For thicker lemon squares, use the square baking pan; for thinner ones, the large rectangle. For an easy lemon tart, simply cut the recipe in half and bake it in an 8-inch round tart pan, pressing the crust up the sides."
Time: 1 hour, plus cooling; Yield: About 2 to 3 dozen bars, depending on size
This was featured in "The Ideal Lemon Bar: A Fierce Filling and a Strong Supporting Crust", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018804-best-lemon-bars. While you're there, sign up for The New York Times cooking email, if you haven't already. I think you'll enjoy it!
Ingredients
For the Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup very cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into small chunks
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (see note)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, more for sprinkling
Pinch of salt
For the Filling
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch or 9-by-9-inch baking pan, preferably nonstick.
In a stand mixer or food processor, combine crust ingredients. Mix or pulse until well combined and moist clumps form. Using your hands, press mixture evenly but gently into prepared pan.
Bake crust until edges and top are light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate once for even browning.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth.
Pour filling over hot parbaked crust and return to the oven. Bake until filling is almost set, about 20 minutes more. (Thicker squares, baked in the 9-by-9-inch pan, will take longer.) Start checking after 15 minutes; when you give the pan a gentle shake, filling should be lightly set all over and still quivery in the very center.
Let lemon bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle the top lightly and evenly with confectioners' sugar.
Cut into squares, diamonds or rectangles and remove from pan. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. If desired, sprinkle again with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
Tip
To make sweetened coconut, combine 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a small pan and stir over low heat until sugar melts. Mix in 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut shreds or flakes and set aside at least 30 minutes to absorb. Drain off any extra syrup before adding to crust.
ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES
Recipe Yield: Yield: 27 Servings; Serving Size: 2 cookies
Source: Splenda
Recipe and image appear courtesy of Splenda.
You can view this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/italian-lemon-cookies.
Ingredients
1/2 cup light butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet and set aside.
Blend together butter, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, and vanilla in a medium sized mixing bowl until butter is softened. Add egg substitute, lemon juice and zest. Mix briefly. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and nutmeg. Mix using a hand mixer on low speed (or by hand) until dough is formed. Do not over mix.
Remove dough from bowl and divide in half. Roll each half into a log approx. 1 inch thick in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 1-2 hours, allowing dough to chill and become firm.
Remove dough from freezer, unwrap and cut into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Notes:
These delicate lemon cookies have excellent flavor and an interesting texture. They are perfect for adding variety to a cookie tray.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Sugars: 7 g
LEMON TOFU CHEESECAKE
This recipe comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "This vegan dessert brings zippy citrus and creamy texture to the party."
"This lemon tofu cheesecake, originally published by Vegetarian Times in 1997, makes for an elegant vegan dessert. While you can dig in as soon as it sets, after about two hours of chill time, we find it actually tastes better the next day, after the flavors have had time to continue to develop.
"If it’s just too hot to turn on the oven, this recipe can easily be adapted to a no-bake format. Just skip the cornstarch called for in the filling. The result will be something a bit more loose and creamy."
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/lemon-tofu-cheesecake-recipe/. Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Crust
2 cups graham crackers
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Filling
1 pound firm tofu
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon tahini or almond butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in water
1 tablespoons vegan milk such as soy, rice, or almond
Preparation
Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, syrup, and extract until crumbs are moistened. Pour into oiled 9-inch pie plate; press mixture firmly to form crust. Bake 5 minutes; let cool while preparing the filling.
Filling: In food processor or blender, combine ingredients and process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Bake: Pour mixture into crust. Bake until top is slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cool and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and firm, about 2 hours.
LEMON SORBET
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Directions
In a small saucepan, bring the water and the sugar to a boil, stirring the mixture to dissolve the sugar. Add the lemon juice and zest to the sugar syrup and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
LEMON POUND CAKE
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Add a splash of sunshine to any spring brunch or dessert spread with this bright lemon pound cake. Yellow cake mix is combined with cream cheese and grated lemon peel for a pound cake that’s rich in flavor and bursting with refreshing citrus notes. With just six simple ingredients and only 15 minutes of prep time, you can whip up this lemon pound cake recipe when you want to bake something homemade, but don’t have all day to do it."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes; Servings: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ yellow cake mix
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup water or milk
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
3 eggs
1/4 cup Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy lemon frosting
Directions
Heat oven to 325°F. Generously spray bottom only of 9x5-inch loaf pan with baking spray with flour.
In medium bowl, beat cake mix, cream cheese, water, grated lemon peel and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack or heatproof serving plate. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until frosting is thin enough to drizzle; stir. Spoon frosting evenly over cake, allowing frosting to drip down sides.
Expert Tips
If you have leftover cake, cut it into slices and place individually in sandwich-size food-storage plastic bags. Seal bags and freeze. You'll have a quick treat when you need it!
For added lemon flavor, sprinkle some extra grated lemon peel over the cake.
For a different look, cut your cake into wedges instead of traditional slices.
This elegant pound cake makes a wonderful hostess gift for any dinner party.
Mom
Here are six yummy lemon desserts that would be sure to please Mom (and hopefully you, too!), including Lemon Meringue Cookies and Lemon Tofu Cheesecake. Enjoy!
LEMON SQUARES
This is from Susan Mahnke Perry and adapted by Dena Kleinman in The New York Times cooking email. For this recipe, Dena wrote, "The recipe for these sweet, tart squares, adapted from the “Wellesley Cookie Exchange Cookbook” by Susan Mahnke Peery, was published in The Times in December 1990, part of a Christmas cookie roundup. But they can be made for just about any occasion, whether you’re in the holiday spirit or just craving something with a little pucker. The buttery shortbread mellows a lemon topping, as does the dusting of confectioners' sugar. Make it to cap off a weeknight dinner, or for a weekend afternoon snack, paired with a cup of tea."
Time: 1 hour; Yield: 16 servings
This was featured in "The Spirit of Christmas Past Lives On in Traditional Cookies", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1725-lemon-squares.
Ingredients
2 cups flour, plus 1/4 cup
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 2 teaspoons
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice (from about 1 to 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together two cups flour, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and salt. Add melted butter and stir to thoroughly combine. Spread with clean hands in an even layer into a 9-by-13-inch pan and bake for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice, baking powder and remaining flour. Pour onto the hot baked shell and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until just set. Using a small, fine meshed sieve, sift remaining confectioners' sugar on top when cool. Cut into equal bars.
BEST LEMON BARS
This is from Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking email. For this recipe, Julia wrote, "Lemon bars are all about contrast: sour lemon and sweet sugar, crumbly base and creamy topping, buttery crust and tart filling. Two common ingredients lift this recipe above the pack: baking powder for a fluffy filling and shredded coconut for a rich, round-tasting crust. (Once baked, the coconut flavor almost disappears.) Bakers who avoid preservatives will find an easy version of homemade sweetened coconut in the tip below the recipe.) For thicker lemon squares, use the square baking pan; for thinner ones, the large rectangle. For an easy lemon tart, simply cut the recipe in half and bake it in an 8-inch round tart pan, pressing the crust up the sides."
Time: 1 hour, plus cooling; Yield: About 2 to 3 dozen bars, depending on size
This was featured in "The Ideal Lemon Bar: A Fierce Filling and a Strong Supporting Crust", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018804-best-lemon-bars. While you're there, sign up for The New York Times cooking email, if you haven't already. I think you'll enjoy it!
Ingredients
For the Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup very cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into small chunks
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (see note)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, more for sprinkling
Pinch of salt
For the Filling
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch or 9-by-9-inch baking pan, preferably nonstick.
In a stand mixer or food processor, combine crust ingredients. Mix or pulse until well combined and moist clumps form. Using your hands, press mixture evenly but gently into prepared pan.
Bake crust until edges and top are light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate once for even browning.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth.
Pour filling over hot parbaked crust and return to the oven. Bake until filling is almost set, about 20 minutes more. (Thicker squares, baked in the 9-by-9-inch pan, will take longer.) Start checking after 15 minutes; when you give the pan a gentle shake, filling should be lightly set all over and still quivery in the very center.
Let lemon bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle the top lightly and evenly with confectioners' sugar.
Cut into squares, diamonds or rectangles and remove from pan. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. If desired, sprinkle again with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
Tip
To make sweetened coconut, combine 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a small pan and stir over low heat until sugar melts. Mix in 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut shreds or flakes and set aside at least 30 minutes to absorb. Drain off any extra syrup before adding to crust.
ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES
Recipe Yield: Yield: 27 Servings; Serving Size: 2 cookies
Source: Splenda
Recipe and image appear courtesy of Splenda.
You can view this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/italian-lemon-cookies.
Ingredients
1/2 cup light butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet and set aside.
Blend together butter, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, and vanilla in a medium sized mixing bowl until butter is softened. Add egg substitute, lemon juice and zest. Mix briefly. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and nutmeg. Mix using a hand mixer on low speed (or by hand) until dough is formed. Do not over mix.
Remove dough from bowl and divide in half. Roll each half into a log approx. 1 inch thick in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 1-2 hours, allowing dough to chill and become firm.
Remove dough from freezer, unwrap and cut into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Notes:
These delicate lemon cookies have excellent flavor and an interesting texture. They are perfect for adding variety to a cookie tray.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Sugars: 7 g
LEMON TOFU CHEESECAKE
This recipe comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "This vegan dessert brings zippy citrus and creamy texture to the party."
"This lemon tofu cheesecake, originally published by Vegetarian Times in 1997, makes for an elegant vegan dessert. While you can dig in as soon as it sets, after about two hours of chill time, we find it actually tastes better the next day, after the flavors have had time to continue to develop.
"If it’s just too hot to turn on the oven, this recipe can easily be adapted to a no-bake format. Just skip the cornstarch called for in the filling. The result will be something a bit more loose and creamy."
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/lemon-tofu-cheesecake-recipe/. Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Crust
2 cups graham crackers
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Filling
1 pound firm tofu
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon tahini or almond butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in water
1 tablespoons vegan milk such as soy, rice, or almond
Preparation
Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, syrup, and extract until crumbs are moistened. Pour into oiled 9-inch pie plate; press mixture firmly to form crust. Bake 5 minutes; let cool while preparing the filling.
Filling: In food processor or blender, combine ingredients and process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Bake: Pour mixture into crust. Bake until top is slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cool and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and firm, about 2 hours.
LEMON SORBET
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Directions
In a small saucepan, bring the water and the sugar to a boil, stirring the mixture to dissolve the sugar. Add the lemon juice and zest to the sugar syrup and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
LEMON POUND CAKE
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Add a splash of sunshine to any spring brunch or dessert spread with this bright lemon pound cake. Yellow cake mix is combined with cream cheese and grated lemon peel for a pound cake that’s rich in flavor and bursting with refreshing citrus notes. With just six simple ingredients and only 15 minutes of prep time, you can whip up this lemon pound cake recipe when you want to bake something homemade, but don’t have all day to do it."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes; Servings: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ yellow cake mix
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup water or milk
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
3 eggs
1/4 cup Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy lemon frosting
Directions
Heat oven to 325°F. Generously spray bottom only of 9x5-inch loaf pan with baking spray with flour.
In medium bowl, beat cake mix, cream cheese, water, grated lemon peel and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack or heatproof serving plate. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until frosting is thin enough to drizzle; stir. Spoon frosting evenly over cake, allowing frosting to drip down sides.
Expert Tips
If you have leftover cake, cut it into slices and place individually in sandwich-size food-storage plastic bags. Seal bags and freeze. You'll have a quick treat when you need it!
For added lemon flavor, sprinkle some extra grated lemon peel over the cake.
For a different look, cut your cake into wedges instead of traditional slices.
This elegant pound cake makes a wonderful hostess gift for any dinner party.
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