Baking for Nightshift- Sticky Lemon Slice

One of my most favourite flavours ever, is Lemon. I'll gravitate towards it on any menu (along with vanilla, chocolate and caramel), at any time and if Lemon Tart is on offer then watch out!!! Because it's the school holidays here time is a pretty rare commodity with the boys needing more attention and with there being more to do. As well as that the weather has been diabolical and has given us one of the worst summers ever (well that I can remember), with more raining, dull, shocking weather than sun. So I needed to make something that was easy, took little time and maybe injected a bit of summer into our summerless days which lemon just does. 


I remembered this recipe I used to make by Julie Biuso which I used to make all the time called Sticky Lemon Slice. I find it quite hard to get past a recipe I love and the one I have for Emily's Lemon Shortcake is hard to get past when I'm thinking about making a lemon slice. However in the name of this blog and making something different I thought I would revisit this old favourite of mine. I was not disappointed. I had forgotten how delicious this slice is. The base is a buttery and shortbready and the topping lovely, creamy with a tart lemon bite to it which perfectly compliments the base. Now that I have remade this, I'm sure it will make a regular appearance on the baking menu...especially when you need something that makes a generous amount of food. Give this one a go...you will wonder where this recipe has been all your life.


Sticky Lemon Slice (Julie Biuso)


Base


225g butter, softened
70g icing sugar
275g plain flour


Topping


400g sugar
4 medium eggs, beaten
4 Tbsp plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
grated zest of nice sized lemons
90 ml lemon juice


Preheat the oven to 170C. Line the base of a non stick 32x21cm swiss roll tin with baking paper.


To make the base put the butter into the bowl of a food processor and process until whipped, then add the icing sugar and process until light in colour and creamed. Sprinkle the flour over and process until the mixture starts to form a ball.. Tip into the tin and press flat (you will need flour on your hands because it is quite sticky).


Bake about 15mins then remove from the oven. While it is cooling a bit make the topping.


Put the sugar into the clean bowl of a food processor and pour in the eggs. Process 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and sprinkle the flour and baking powder on top. Add the lemon zest and juice and mix with a big spoon (I actually used a whisk but not vigorously). Pour over the base (It will fill it). 


Bake about 30 mins until golden in colour and firmish to the touch but don't overbake or the topping will be more cooked than creamy. Cool in the tin, dust with icing sugar and cut into squares.