Calamansi Squares (gluten-free)
Posted by Alayne Gardner-Carimi on
These bright squares are decadently rich, packed with zesty citrus flavors, and simple to make.
Ingredients (16 squares)
1¼ cups granulated sugar
zest of 1 lemon, divided*
6 oz. (1½ sticks) butter, melted and cooled until warm
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp vomFASS Calamansi Balsam
1¼ cups plain gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum**
¼ tsp salt
1¼ cups granulated sugar
zest of 1 lemon, divided*
6 oz. (1½ sticks) butter, melted and cooled until warm
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp vomFASS Calamansi Balsam
1¼ cups plain gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum**
¼ tsp salt
Icing
1 cup of powdered/icing sugar
5-6 Tbsp vomFASS Calamansi Balsam
pinch of lemon zest *
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup of powdered/icing sugar
5-6 Tbsp vomFASS Calamansi Balsam
pinch of lemon zest *
½ tsp vanilla
Directions
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position, pre-heat the oven to 350ºF and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment/baking paper.
Add the sugar and lemon zest (less the pinch you saved for the icing) to a large bowl, and use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar. (This helps to release more essential oils from the zest, and it will make your calamansi squares even more citrusy and aromatic.)
Add the melted butter, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla, and whisk until well combined and smooth. (Don't aerate the mixture – you don't want to whisk it until it's pale and fluffy, but just until all the ingredients are combined. Introducing too much air into the batter can make the lemon brownies cake-like rather than fudgy.)
Add the Calamansi Balsam and whisk well to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend and salt.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk well until you get a smooth, fairly runny batter with no flour clumps.
Transfer the batter into the lined baking pan and smooth out the top.
Bake at 350ºF for 20-22 minutes or until it's golden on top, an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean and it's still soft to the touch when you gently press down on it with a finger. (It's better to under-bake rather than over-bake this, as you want the squares to be super fudgy.)
Allow to cool completely to room temperature in the baking pan before topping with icing.
Icing: Mix ingredients in a bowl and spread on cooled calamansi base.
Cut into squares and enjoy!
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position, pre-heat the oven to 350ºF and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment/baking paper.
Add the sugar and lemon zest (less the pinch you saved for the icing) to a large bowl, and use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar. (This helps to release more essential oils from the zest, and it will make your calamansi squares even more citrusy and aromatic.)
Add the melted butter, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla, and whisk until well combined and smooth. (Don't aerate the mixture – you don't want to whisk it until it's pale and fluffy, but just until all the ingredients are combined. Introducing too much air into the batter can make the lemon brownies cake-like rather than fudgy.)
Add the Calamansi Balsam and whisk well to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend and salt.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk well until you get a smooth, fairly runny batter with no flour clumps.
Transfer the batter into the lined baking pan and smooth out the top.
Bake at 350ºF for 20-22 minutes or until it's golden on top, an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean and it's still soft to the touch when you gently press down on it with a finger. (It's better to under-bake rather than over-bake this, as you want the squares to be super fudgy.)
Allow to cool completely to room temperature in the baking pan before topping with icing.
Icing: Mix ingredients in a bowl and spread on cooled calamansi base.
Cut into squares and enjoy!
*Ideally, use organic unwaxed lemons for zesting.
**Easy to adapt to standard recipe (not GF) by substituting GF flour with regular flour.
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- Tags: #calamansi, #calamondi, #dessert, #glutenfree, #lemon, #madisonwi, #vomfassmadison, #Wisconsin