Lemon Crumb Squares

Hello everyone. It's been almost A WHOLE YEAR since I've updated this space and I am really sorry for disappearing on you! It's just that I've been busy with school and stuff and time really flies by. Recently though, I felt like I'm losing touch with everything I love to do and I remembered this blog and how therapeutic and kind it has been to me. I promise I'll try to update more!

Before I rattle on with my sob stories let's Hoover this place up and visually devour LEMON CRUMB SQUARES.

Pack first crumb layer, and then spread on the lemon mixture and sprinkle remaining crumbs on top.

I left my camera on the table to clean up the dishes while the pan was in the oven and my brother decided to photo-bomb. Great. Now you're on my food blog Fariz.

After baking, let cool for 30 minutes then refrigerate.

I couldn't wait till it completely cooled and decided to cut myself a piece!

Sweet lemony richness sandwiched between an oat-ey crumble. 

Pop pieces in between your afternoon tea or coffee. Yum.

Sorry for the different lighting! I was trying to get a good angle to photograph the baked good but it was getting dark and now my pictures have different colour treatments. But s'all good.

I used this recipe and dayum son it is delish! And easy. Really. I hardly broke a sweat making these babies.

And now you can too! (By the way my brother just asked for a second slice. Good news!)



Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
Crumb mixture

1-1/3 cup All-purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 stick (1/2 Cup) Butter, Slightly Softened
1 cup Brown Sugar (lightly Packed)
1 cup Oats




Lemon mixture
1 can (14 Ounce) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup Lemon Juice
Zest Of 1 Lemon

Preheat oven to 176C.

Mix butter and brown sugar. Sift baking powder, flour and salt into the cream and add in oats. Mix until it form fine crumbs. Press half of crumb mixture into bottom of 8 x 11 pan. In a separate bowl, mix lemon juice, zest and condensed milk. Spread over pressed crumb base and sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture on top (do not press).

Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown.

Allow to sit for 30 mins to cool, cut into squares but pop it in the fridge first! When it is nice and cold you can take out a square and enjoy it with your favourite beverage.

Enjoy!

Pie, or as my friend Denver would say it, PAHH

How do you do?

Yesterday was a very miserably spent National Day. I only woke up at noon, and whenever I wake up late I feel like a slob. I wanted to go out with people but everybody had plans, or at least I thought they did! I chatted online and talked to my best friend, and guess what? She was spending a lonely National Day by herself too!

..I thought she might have wanted to watch the fireworks with her boyfriend or something cheesy romantic like that.

Anyway, it was too late for us to hang out so I kicked my arse into gear and shopped for ingredients to finally bake a pie, and I decided to make lemon meringue pie. I had posted a grainy webcam picture of my first pie in a previous blog, but now *ahem* pictures are much clearer :D

Cheat code.
Bake according to instructions on the back.

Probably should have covered the edges with aluminum foil.. Will keep in mind.

Pour lemony goodness into the crust

I had wanted to use this recipe and I already wrote down the ingredients to buy, but, as if the world is against me making a pie, BOTH supermarkets I went to had no frickin' cornstarch, and all the other minimarts were closed due to public holiday. I wanted to scalp a random passerby.

Luckily, I remembered this easy pie recipe which did not use cornstarch and I called my little brother at home and asked him to read to me the whole ingredient list so that I knew what to buy.

..Lucky save.

Beat egg whites until glossy stiff peaks form

Plop onto pie. So fun! Plop plop!

This recipe I used only 3 egg whites, but in the future I would probably use 4 to create a bigger pillowy top.

Bake & refridgerate overnight.. Or eat all immediately. I won't judge.

1 slice for you & the rest for me.

Dig in!

In the end I combined the two recipes and the end result was more than satisfactory! Maybe I should bake for my new neighbours..



Lemon Meringue Pie
Recipe taken from Chaosinthekitchen & Stonesoup

Ingredients:

• 1 prepared and baked pie crust
• 1 400g condensed milk (I only found a 380g so I added 3/4 tbsp sugar)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon, chopped (optional)
• 3 egg yolks
• A big pat of butter
• 3 egg whites
• A pinch of cream of tartar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 325F or 180C.
Combine condensed milk, lemon juice, zest, egg yolks and butter. Pour into pie shell. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, sugar and vanilla until stiff glossy peaks form. Spread meringue all over filling and bake for 8-10 mins until meringue is golden. Cool on a wire rack until room temperature then cool overnight in fridge.