This lemon slice traybake recipe that was shared by Christine Flinn of the British Sugarcraft Guild many years ago. If you like lemon, you will love these.
They are very simple to make, use whole eggs so no wastage of either yolks or whites and taste delicious! My daughter’s favourite traybake.
The base is a simple shortbread style, made by softening the butter and stirring in the icing sugar and flour. Press the dough into a traybake tin and smooth it out well before baking – it should be baked until it is light golden and firm to the touch.
The lemon layer is made by lightly whisking all the ingredients together – lemon rind and juice, eggs, sugar and flour. You can remove the base from the oven to add the lemon layer but I find it easier to whisk the ingredients in a jug and pour it in whilst the tray is still in the oven.
Lemon Slice
Equipment
- 1 18cm x 28cm traybake tin or 9" square shallow tin, lined with non stick baking paper
- 1 fine grater I would highly recommend a Microplane grater
- 1 citrus juicer or reamer
Ingredients
Base:
- 225 g butter
- 115 g icing sugar
- 340 g plain flour
Lemon Layer
- 3 eggs
- 300 g caster sugar
- 30 g plain flour
- 2 lemons rind only
- 60 ml lemon juice from approx one and a half of the lemons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 140C (fan).
- Make the base by softening the butter – this is easiest in a microwave – 30 second bursts at full power. The butter should be very soft but not completely melted, it should still be pale yellow in colour. Stir in the icing sugar. If you prefer you can cream room temperature butter and icing sugar together. Add the flour, stirring gently until you have a smooth dough.
- Press the dough into the bottom of the lined tin – make sure it is really smooth and level. Bake for approx 30 minutes until pale golden and firm to the touch.
- Meanwhile prepare the lemon layer – grate the rind of both lemons and juice them, adding the rind and 60ml of the lemon juice to the mixing bowl. Add the eggs, sugar and flour and whisk gently until well combined.
- Pour this mixture over the cooked base while it is still warm – I find it easiest to pour it on the base when the tray is still in the oven – and continue to cook for a further 25 – 30 minutes, until golden in colour and firm and crispy on top.
- Allow to cool and dust with icing sugar once cooled before cutting into squares.