Lemon Squares

I have shared many desserts in my cookbooks and TV series, and I am excited to present one of my most requested desserts.

This is the classic dessert, although it’s also a popular choice during the summer months. I’ve been told that my recipe strikes the perfect balance of sweetness, lemony tartness, and buttery shortbread. Make a batch and share this refreshing treat at your next gathering.

Lemon Squares, aka Lemon Bars

Makes one dozen eight-inch square pan

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Shortbread Crust:

1/2 cup sweet butter, room temperature 

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

pinch cinnamon

A square tip: (lining the pan with parchment paper is helpful for removing squares after baking)

Grease an 8-inch square pan with butter, line it with parchment

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the Crust: With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon by hand to form a light dough. Press the dough into a greased pan and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until it is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan.

Lemon Filling:

3/4 cup granulated sugar 

2 eggs

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 

1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest 

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

pinch salt

For the Lemon Filling: Mix the sugar, flour, salt, and eggs with a wire whisk until well combined and smooth. Add fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla just until combined. Do not overmix, or too much air will affect the filling. Pour the filling over the cooled shortbread crust and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until the filling is set. 

Remove from oven and cool. After cooling at room temperature, refrigerate. To serve, cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar. Chill lemon squares until ready to serve.

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Irish Bread Pudding

Lá Fhéile Pádraig: Gaelic for Saint Patrick's Day or St. Paddy's. I like to use day-old French bread in my bread pudding recipe, or Cinnamon-raisin bread, sweet rolls, and even leftover Irish Soda Bread can also be used. Serve with a vanilla ice cream spiked with a wee bit of Irish. Slàinte

Irish Bread Pudding

Makes 10-12 servings 

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2 Granny Smith or baking apples, peel, cored, and chopped

3-4 cups cubed dry French Bread, Irish Soda, Brown Bread, or Cinnamon Raisin Bread 

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup raisins, plumped in 1 cup hot water for 5 minutes

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

4 cups milk

8 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons vanilla 

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup Irish Whisky

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pre-grease an 8 x 8-inch or 10-inch round cake pan.

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Combine the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl and beat with a whisk until well blended. Add whiskey and slowly pour over the bread mixture. Add optional chopped chocolate. Poke the bread, completely covered with the milk mixture, and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Place a pan larger than the cake pan or skillet in preheated oven and place the pan holding the bead pudding inside. Immediately fill the outer pan with enough hot water to come up one inch on the sides of the bread-pudding pan. 

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the water bath, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for 25 additional minutes. Remove the bread pudding and allow to set for twenty minutes before serving. Serve with ice cream and a good Irish Coffee! Sláinte! 

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Chocolate Sauce, take a dip

This is one of those sauces that must be in every chef's repertoire. It's a classic. In a matter of minutes, you can turn a simple sweet into chocolate decadence. So set aside the guilt and go ahead - dip, drizzle, and dunk your way through fresh strawberries, ice cream, and cake. 

One study has shown that the smell of chocolate may relax you by increasing theta waves in the brain. Yes, we all have them.

Does chocolate contain any nutrients? Yes, it does, in small amounts. A 1.5-ounce milk chocolate bar contains recommended daily values of the following vitamins and minerals:

 • 3 grams of protein • 15% of the Daily Value of riboflavin • 9% of the Daily Value of calcium • 7% of the Daily Value of iron

When choosing chocolate, look for a shiny finish, which is a sign that the chocolate was heated at the right temperature for the right amount of time. Also, look for a crispy snap when chocolate is broken into pieces. Choose a good chocolate for a sauce like Lindt, Callebaut, or Scharffen Berger. In a pinch, chocolate chips will do. This very decadent sauce is ideally served with fresh strawberries. Note: this chocolate sauce recipe is not ideal for coating dipped strawberries. Chocolate Sauce Recipe Below

Dip or Drizzle Chocolate Sauce On Your Favorite Cookies

George's Chocolate Sauce

Recipe by Chef George Hirsch | George Hirsch Lifestyle TV Series

Makes about two cups

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 Tablespoons pure cane granulated sugar

3/4 cup cream

3 Tablespoons corn syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional: 1 Tablespoon Brandy or Grand Marnier

Place chopped chocolate in a bowl and set aside. 

Place cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a small pot. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly. When it reaches a boil, pour directly over the chocolate and stir until all chocolate has melted. Add vanilla and brandy.

Use immediately or cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to two weeks. To reheat, heat the amount you need over a double boiler and stir until just melted.

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Best Chocolate Cake Ever

Simple solutions can give you the best results. Machines and gadgets are very important to many people, but I enjoy cooking when a simple whisk, spoon, or spatula does the job. This is the case with the Chocolate Torta recipe from my TV series George Hirsch Lifestyle episode, Old World Traditions. Enjoy.

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Mix by hand and bake. Forty-five minutes later you’ll be savoring this Italian Pastry delight! 

George's Chocolate Torta

Makes 12 servings 

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1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1-1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder

1-1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup water

1/3 cup sweet butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

1 egg white, beaten into whole egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan and line with baking parchment paper; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cocoa and granulated sugar until blended. With a wire whisk, beat in water, then melt butter, egg, egg white, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. On a wire rack, cool for ten minutes in a pan. With a small spatula, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely. Place on a plate and sprinkle with confectioner sugar and a dollop of fresh whipped cream. To serve, cut into small wedges. 

Baking Tip:

This cake actually tastes better when baked and aged one day in advance. When making ahead, allow it to cool completely on a wire screen, then cover it tightly in an airproof container or place the baked chocolate torta back into the cake pan and wrap the top with film. 

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Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Would you like a slice of old-fashioned-style cake that is equally good for a morning coffee break, mid-day snack, and even dessert? Then this is it. 

What I really like about this cake is that it isn't overly sweet. I created this recipe using all-purpose flour, not cake flour, which makes a denser crumb with a nice texture. The dairy mix of sour cream, yogurt, and milk is a harmonious trifecta in achieving a light and flavorful addition to every slice. Use good fresh eggs + butter, and you'll have a hit. 

I do warn you with caution - when you catch the first aromas of this cake baking in the oven, you will be tempted to stand by with a knife at the ready. But please wait for the cake to cool completely for a couple of hours. Slicing this coffee cake prematurely will allow steam (or moisture) to escape, thereby making for a drier cake when it cools. So please resist until it cools. This recipe also doubles as a test of patience. Enjoy!

No bundt pan, no problem! Coffee Cake Pie

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Makes a 9" Bundt Pan, about 10-12 slices

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For the Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar

6 Tablespoons sweet butter, softened

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Place the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl and crumble together with your fingers until it forms a crumb mixture. Add in the nuts—reserve and mix the cake batter.

For the Cake: SEE RECIPE BELOW

1/2 cup sweet butter, one stick softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1/4 cup 2% milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon fresh-grated orange rind

Grease and flour two 9-inch pie pans, or a tube, Bundt-style, or a regular-sized 9 1/2-inch baking pan.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and orange zest, one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl again.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, and milk. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately in three stages with the sour cream, yogurt, and milk mixture, stirring and scraping the bowl with a spatula after each addition. Mix until just blended. Do not over-mix.

Place half the batter in the pan and sprinkle with half the topping mixture. With the back of the butter knife, swirl the batter slightly to mix the crumb mixture slightly into the bottom of the cake batter. Add the remaining batter, then the crumb topping.

Bake coffee cake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cake tests are done. Cool for 15-20 minutes; remove from the pan by placing a large plate over the top of the cake, and invert the pan. Tap the sides of the cake pan to free the cake from the pan, place a serving platter over the bottom, and invert again. The crumb topping should be on the top side to serve. Allow cooling at least 2 hours (if you can) before slicing!

Cover the cake once fully cooled.

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