recipe: lemon squares {& happy easter!}

Happy Easter everyone!  I hope you're enjoying your weekend, have eaten plenty of chocolate bunnies and that it's finally starting to fee like spring, wherever you are!  It was actually above zero in Winnipeg yesterday! Hooray!

One of my absolute favourite warm weather desserts are lemon squares.  I love love love citrus-y things. I could eat lemon curd with a spoon, and have done so, on multiple occasions, actually..

Anyways, I present to you my most favourite recipe for lemon squares, the epitome of picnics, sundresses and carefree sunny afternoons!

Lemon Squares. modified from here.

Crust:
3/4 C. butter, room temperature.
1/2 C. sugar.
2 C. unbleached flour.

Filling:
4 eggs.
1 C. sugar.
zest of two lemons.
juice of 3 lemons (approx. 3/4C.)
1/4 C. unbleached flour.
1 tsp. baking powder.
1 tbsp. icing sugar.

1_grease a 13" x 9" pan and line with parchment paper.

2_beat butter and sugar until fluffy, approx. 5 minutes.  add flour and mix until incorporated.  it will be super crumbly, so don't worry!  press into your prepared baking pan and bake at 325 degrees until golden, 25 minutes or so.  if you're using a glass baking pan remember to always lower the temperature by 25 degrees.
3_make the filling.  in a mixer beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thickened.  5-8 minutes.
4_add zest, juice and dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.  
5_pour over your crust and bake at 325 degrees until set, around 25-30 minutes.  let cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar and cutting into squares.  Enjoy!

Have a splendid week in the sunshine! xo, T.

d.i.y. citrus scrub.

What could be better on a cloudy afternoon than something fresh and citrusy?

This was a fun little project that me and a lovely friend whipped up in her kitchen this weekend. It smells amazing and is super easy to make, most, if not all of the ingredients are probably already in your kitchen cupboards!
I think it would also make a really sweet gift in a jar with some pretty paper on top - this is Amy Butler paper, my most favourite fabric designer!

citrus salt scrub. adapted from adelyn stone - although I should note that neither Sara or I are very into measuring things, so our amounts are slightly different.

1 C. sea salt.
1/4 C. oil - vegetable, canola, olive, etc.
1 tbsp. lemon juice.
zest of half a lemon.
a little bit of orange zest - but only if you like.

mix the salt and oil together in a bowl. mix in lemon juice and zest and you're done! package in a mason jar with some pretty paper and you are all set for soft, summery skin.

makes 1 cup. I already tested some on my hands this morning and they are super soft and smell wonderful!  xo.

lemon blueberry whole wheat scones.

And we have more cloudy days. Not my particular favourite, but nothing a little tea and scones can't fix!  I love everything about tea parties, getting to use my vintage dishes from England, the teapots, the wonderfully patterned, thrifted tableclothes. the dessert, everything.

This recipe is based on one from my childhood.  Yes, I was that child that was raised on scones and forced all of her friends into tea parties at a very early age.  Usually we make plain scones, or add cheddar cheese, but today I decided that I wanted something lighter and more summery.  Blueberries with lemon is one of my favourite flavour combinations!

lemon blueberry whole wheat scones.

1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour.

1 C. unbleached flour.

1/4 C. sugar.

3 tsp. baking powder.

1/2 C. cold butter cut into cubes.

1 egg.

2/3 C. milk.

zest and juice of one lemon.

1/4 C. blueberries, plus more for putting on top.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the flours, baking powder and sugar together. In a seperate bowl lightly beat egg and add milk.  Cut in butter into dry ingredients and then add wet ingredients. Add zest and lemon juice and fold in blueberries.  Shape dough into 8 balls and place on a baking sheet.  Flatten into disks roughly 1/2" thick, making a small dent in the centre of each.  Place a spoonful of berries in the centre of each scone and sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown.  Serve with tea, lemon curd, devonshire cream or maybe just a little bit of butter! Makes 8.

My goal this summer is to go on a lot of tea parties/picnics, so hopefully this is just the beginning! Happy Happy Monday! xo.