My Favourite Couple

In honour of Valentine's Day, this post is dedicated to a couple that demonstrated true love. They would come into the bakery every Sunday afternoon. They were both in their late eighties-he in declining health, while she was probably more active than myself. They were so incredibly cute together. She would sit him down on one of the three little seats we have that face out onto the sidewalk, while she would come and place her order. It might have been 15 minutes before she would return to him--man could this woman talk! I really don't think her husband minded as she would chat away with us about everything from the weather, to the one homeless man she saw a couple weeks ago who "gave her a fright." I think their annual visit to the bakery gave her a bit of a break, someone to talk too, and a nice way to spend the afternoon. Even though it was clear that she was the main caregiver to her husband, never once did it come across as a burden. She and I would bring over their desserts, his coffee, her tea, and after about an hour when they were done, she would dress him--get him ready to face the cold, and then she would put on her layers. If I could properly associate them with some sort of "movie couple" it would definitely be the older couple from The Notebook. Hands down. You could tell after all those years together, they loved each other like they were still in the Honeymoon phase-they probably never left it.

Sadly, her husband passed away last year. Betty (his wife) still comes into the bakery though, I think to keep with routine. She still sits at the window with her lemon square and Earl Grey tea, and fortunately has not lost her conversational skills! You can tell that she is content, I think with her life and the love that she shared with her soulmate. It makes me hope that I have the same sort of relationship, and I can look back and be as satisfied as she seems to be.

For this couple, I chose a lemon square recipe that goes perfectly with a cup of tea.
Happy Valentine's Day!

                                       

Ingredients

• For the Crust

  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sifting
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

• For the Lemon Filling

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; line pan with two crisscrossed rectangles of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
2. Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse flour with confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into bottom and 3/4 inch up sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
3. Bake until crust is lightly browned 20 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan. Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees.
4. Meanwhile, make the lemon filling: In a bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer until thick. Beat in granulated sugar, lemon juice, flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour over warm crust. Bake until set, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature; refrigerate about 1 hour.
5. Using paper overhang as an aid, lift square from pan. Sift remaining tablespoon confectioners' sugar over the top. Cut into 16 squares.