Trudie’s lemon squares

Whenever I make these lemon squares, I think of my sister, who is quite a few years older than me. The day she got married and took off with her husband, leaving me as the last one behind at home, felt like the end of the world to me at 15 years old. Then I got to visit them and it all changed when she served up a plate filled with these delicacies. From then on, I couldn’t wait to go visit. She always had something new and interesting and exciting going on in her house and life and her tins were filled with lemon squares and cookies of all sorts and the most delicious dried peaches straight from the farm….sounds like perhaps the main attraction for visiting! At some stage I inherited her recipe and it has become a favourite in our family too and of everybody else that “inherits ” it along the way.

It is a non – baking cookie/biscuit and can be kept in the fridge for a long time, if you’re so lucky to have any left to last that long.

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Trudie’s lemon squares

  • 2 packets of  butter biscuits (Petit beurre)
  • 250 g butter
  • 1 can of sweet condensed milk
  • 250 ml desiccated coconut
  • lemon juice and zest

Lemon icing:

  • About 20g butter
  • 450ml icing sugar
  • lemon zest and juice to taste
  1. Melt the butter over low heat and add the condensed milk.
  2. Stir in some lemon zest and juice to taste and mix well.
  3. Add the coconut.
  4. Break in the biscuits and mix well until the biscuits are finely broken up en well coated.
  5. Press into a greased lamington tin, 24 x 34 x 2cm.
  6. Leave to cool down completely or place in fridge.
  7. Combine the ingredients for the lemon icing and mix to a smooth icing.
  8. Cut in squares and decorate with some candied lemon and lime zest.

Serves about 48 squares

This is an entry for Christmas cookies from around the world 2007, here at Susan from Foodblogga.

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First day of December

The first of December is officially the day we “start” the festive season here in our home. Our tree gets decorated today, we switch on our fairy lights, hang a garland and listen to the first Christmas music. Then we end the day with a nice dinner by candle light.

To kickstart December 2007, a little ambiance…

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A full moon in Andorra…

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“I saw the angel in the marble and carved and set him free”, said Michelangelo…

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Shimmering crystals…

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Preparations…

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A portion of dessert…

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Nostalgia…

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Montlouis moelleux…

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Lanterns in the snow…

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A White Christmas…

After all the decorating and cleaning up afterwards on this first day of the season, an easy meal is the only option. This vegetable dish is quick, there are no measurements and the hardest work is just peeling some onions and poaching an egg or two, which can be left out of course! Open a bottle of wine, finish off with a scoop of ice cream and a sauce of your choice – I love a berry coulis, but when push comes to shove, I can enjoy a vanilla ice cream just on its own. Sit back with an espresso and enjoy the lights and music and spirit of Noël.

May your December be filled with gratitude and joy.

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Vegetable gratin

  • vegetables of your choice, cleaned or peeled and cut into chunks – in the photo: sweet potatoes, red onions, brussels sprouts, parsnips and mushrooms.
  • a pickled lemon, diced
  • 2 branches of fresh rosemary
  • 2 bayleaves
  • a  few slices of a creamy camambert cheese
  • a poached egg for each person
  • créme fraîche (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.
  2. Place the chunks of vegetables in an oven pan and drizzle libereally with oil. Season.
  3. Tuck the bayleaves and rosemary inbetween the vegetables.
  4. Bake the vegetables until tender.
  5. Remove from the oven and serve a portion into an ovenproof bowl.
  6. Add a dollop of créme fraîche (optional)
  7. Cover with a slice or two of Camambert cheese and put under the grill until the cheese has melted and the vegetables have a nice caramelized appearance.
  8. Slide a poached egg onto the cheese and drizzle some olive oil and finish off with some ground fresh pepper.
  9. Serve warm with brown rice, quinoa or a whole wheat bread.

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