Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Creamy Lemon Squares

These are SUPER yummy. I especially love them because regular lemon bars tend to have too much sugar in them for me and they make my teeth hurt. These don't. Plus, how can you go wrong adding cream cheese to an already yummy thing...you can't!

20 Nilla Wafers, finely crushed
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold butter
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Neufchatel Cheese (I use cream cheese)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. grated lemon peel, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. powdered sugar

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan; set aside. Combine wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup flour and the brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min.
MEANWHILE, beat Neufchatel cheese and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and 2 Tbsp. flour; mix well. Blend in 1 Tbsp. lemon peel, lemon juice and baking powder; pour over crust.
BAKE 25 to 28 min. or until center is set. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining 2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel just before cutting into squares to serve. Store leftover squares in refrigerator.

1 comment:

Brandon and Brittany said...

I haven't made this, Gwen has. She mentioned that she would have put it in a larger pan (like an 8x10)because they were a little thick and they seemed to take forever to cook. Experiment.