Blood Orange Squares are an enticing variation on the more common lemon squares. Shortbread base, custard like body livened up with the extra citrus kick of blood orange.
Blood oranges hold a type of mystique in the cooking world. Perhaps because they are not readily available year round. Probably because their flavour is bit edgier and livelier than a regular orange.
I was just passing through the produce section when I spotted a display of 4 lbs of blood oranges. It seems when I see a recipe that calls for them I typically can’t find them so this time I scooped them up and then decided what to make.
My first introduction to blood orange was in the form of an Italian blood orange flavoured sparkling water… and I was hooked.
I was looking for a dessert to serve and the idea of the simple lemon square in blood orange form seemed like a good idea.
Keep watch for more blood orange salads etc and I am seriously considering flavouring a batch of Kombucha with some blood orange juice!
For now, you can whip these square up using your food processor for both the crust and the filling so it is easy-peasy and very little clean up.
I sampled one while it was still warm out of the pan and it was delicious! You don’t typcially serve them warm but I’m just sayin’.
Let them cool completely before cutting them and before dusting on the icing sugar. If they are too warm the icing sugar will just melt into the topping.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
Fillig
- zest of 1 blood orange
- 1/2 cup blood orange juice from 2 to 2 1/2 oranges
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsps flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup icing sugar for dusting finished squares
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 X 8" square pan with parchment paper.
- Pulse flour, sugar and butter in food processor until soft dough forms. Press into bottom of lined pan with a fork.
- Bake crust 20 minutes.
- While crust is baking add zest, juice, sugar, flour, salt and eggs to food processor. Pulse until well mixed and slightly foamy.
- When crust has finished first 20 minutes, pulse filling ingredients one last time and pour into the crust. Return to the oven for 25-30 minutes. Make sure filling in the center of the pan is set.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Dust with remaining icing sugar. Run a sharp knife around outer edge of the pan to loosen the sides. Cut into uniform squares and transfer to a serving plate.
- Store in refrigerator well covered.