Posion Squares

Every family has funny moments that become those heirloom stories or jokes that get passed on. Weird little occasions  like where someone had to use a non traditional measuring utensil birth family expressions like "fill it up to the first duck" . Every family has them, and some have them for so long that no one remembers their origins it seems. One of those in my family is the story of Poison Pie.

When my father was a little guy, he loved pie. Cream pies were his favorite. One of his aunts was a very talented baker, and for some family gathering she decided to make a pie. The story goes that it looked beautiful and had a mountain of what appeared to be whipped cream on top of it.  My father took a piece happily, put a big forkful in his mouth, and after one chew spit it out and proclaimed with horror "Auntie, you made a POISON pie !!! My father was anticipating the sweetness of a coconut cream or Banana cream pie, but was instead introduced to Lemon Meringue Pie. Not the taste bud impact he was hoping for ! After a while he grew to love  Lemon Meringue Pie, but he always jokingly referred to it as Poison Pie. Dad has been gone for a few years but every-time I see any recipe that involves a lemon custard , I think of it as poison pie variations.

This is a recipe that is far from poison- in fact, with the final taste they may become one of your favorite things on earth. Super easy to make- so easy that this is a recipe my son discovered and makes. Daddy has asked him to make these for pot luck gatherings, and they have been very well received.

Lemon squares

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar plus extra for garnish

2 sticks cold butter, cut into cubes enter(no substitutions)

4 eggs

2 cups of sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest

half cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

preheat oven to 350°. Put 2 cups of flour, powdered sugar, and butter into a food processor. Turn it on and whisk till mixture forms a ball of dough. Or use a pastry knife, mix the flour and sugar and cut the butter into the mix.

Line a 9x12 baking dish with parchment or non-stick foil. Press the dough into the baking dish, with hands. Prick with a fork. Bake 20 min. Remove from oven.

While crust is baking, make the lemon filling. Break the eggs into mixing bowl and whisk until your arm gets tired. Then add the sugar, quarter cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until all the lumps dissolve. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest and blend.

Pour the lemon mixture over the baking crust. Bake another 25 to 30 min., until slightly brown at the edges. Remove from the oven. Wait for it to cool and remove from pan. Sift powdered sugar on top and cut into squares .

Baked and waiting for the sugar shower and cutting. These should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Poison indeed :-) Just for the record, here is a picture of the "poison" victim as a young man, hunting with his father many years ago