Lemon Ricotta Squares
I’m not sure if I’m getting softer with age, but I can’t stand winter and its cold months anymore, not that I was a fan before. Spring will be arriving tomorrow, and that makes me very happy! Soon the trees and flowers 🌼 will be fully bloomed as the weather warms up and the days get longer…
As much as I like cooking casseroles, stews and other hearty, comforting, warm dishes 🍲, spring brings lighter meals. A wider selection of fresh produce will slowly come back onto our grocery shelves, like rhubarb, artichokes, fiddlehead ferns, apricots, etc.
I bake all year round, but like my main dishes, springtime is much lighter, focusing more on fresh fruit flavors. It can be Mango Cake, Pavlova, Strawberry Shortcake 🍓🍰, Fruit Kolaches, Key Lime Pie, Coconut Nests, and so on, including this one… Lemon Ricotta Squares!
These little guys are one of my favorite spring sweet treats! Vibrant with a lovely creamy and tangy custard-like filling on a buttery 🧈, shortbread crust, this is the perfect quintessential seasonal dessert to make! They’re great to serve for Easter and Mother’s Day!
Bright, these Lemon Ricotta Squares are easy to make 👩🍳👨🍳. After the shortbread dough is done, it’s dropped into a greased baking dish lined with a lightly greased parchment paper. If you’re not sure about lining it, here’s a great tutorial on how to do it… Lining a Loaf Pan with Parchment Paper
The next step is not really obvious but still doable. Using your clean hands, the dough is firmly pressed down, spreading it out evenly. That takes a little time, so be patient. It’s baked for about 20 minutes ⏰ or until the edges are lightly browned.
While it’s cooling, the filling is made. Normally, I use around a ¼ cup of Limoncello liqueur and top the rest with freshly squeezed lemon juice 🍋 until it reaches 2/3 cup. When I filmed the recipe, I was out of my homemade Italian liqueur, so I decided to skip it… I’ll never do that again!
The filling is poured onto the cooled crust and baked until it’s set and no longer jiggling, around 35 to 40 minutes. The dish is placed on a wire rack and allowed to cool completely; it takes a good two hours 🕑. After that cooling period, it’s transferred to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.
When the ricotta filling is firm, the treat is lifted from the baking dish before being sliced into squares. Here’s a tip for perfectly clean slices: use a sharp knife 🔪 with a thin blade, and between each cut, clean it under very hot water and wipe it off.
With the right balance of tartness along with a subtle sweetness, these bright Lemon Ricotta Squares are a delicious way to welcome spring! They’re light and airy, with a refreshing note to them! Sprinkled with powdered sugar, they make a great treat for Easter 🐰 or Mother’s Day…
Bon Appétit! 🍽
Here are more scrumptious sweet treat recipes for you to try… 😀
– Chocolate Mint Nanaimo Bars
– Margarita Cupcakes
– Lemon Posset
– Mango Purée with Mixed Berries and Cointreau
– Biscoff Icebox Cake
– Coconut Cream Pie
– Lemon Rosemary Madeleines
– Cherry Clafoutis
– Orange Ricotta Cookies
and for even more dessert recipes 🍰🍩, click on this link… Recipe Category • Dessert
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
Lemon Ricotta Squares
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Ingredients
SHORTBREAD CRUST
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/2 tsp. ground Himalayan pink salt, sifted
- 1 cup (8 oz.) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
FILLING
- 5 large free-range eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 pinch ground Himalayan pink salt
- 2 tbsp. lemon zest
- 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
- powdered sugar as needed, for dusting tips & tricks
Directions
SHORTBREAD CRUST
- Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line bottom and sides of 9x13-inch greased baking dish with parchment paper, greased as well; set aside.
- In a bowl, add flour and salt; whisk well and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add butter, sugar, and vanilla extract; stir. Add dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Drop dough into the prepared baking dish. Press down firmly, making sure the dough is spread out evenly. Using a fork, poke the top multiple times.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
- Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool while making the filling.
FILLING
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add eggs and sugar. Using the whisk attachment, process on medium speed until light and somewhat fluffy.
- Add ricotta cheese and pure vanilla extract; process until blended, about 1 minute.
- Add flour, salt, and lemon zest. Process on low speed at first, and when incorporated, increase back to medium.
- While the machine is running, add lemon juice; clean the sides and the bottom of the bowl.
- Pour filling on cooled crust and carefully transfer to 325ºF preheated oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the filling is set and no longer jiggles.
- Place it on a wire rack for a couple hours to allow it to cool completely. Cover and transfer to the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Before serving, sprinkle on some powdered sugar. Makes 24 squares.
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