- 25
Ingredients
- For the bottom layer:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 6 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- For the filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 6 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. milk or water
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 egg
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan.
Make the bottom layer: Put the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine. Add the butter and process until the mixture clumps, scraping down the bowl several times. Add the walnuts and process until the walnuts are small pieces and the mixture is crumbly.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the flour mixture. Pat the remaining flour mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 14 minutes, until the top is dry and moderately firm to the touch. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool.
Make the filling: Put the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, milk (or water), vanilla and egg in the food processor bowl (there's no need to wash the bowl after making the bottom layer) and process until smooth. Pour the filling evenly over the cooled dough in the pan. Sprinkle the reserved flour mixture evenly over the filling.
Bake for 26 to 30 minutes longer, until the top is dry. The cream cheese filling will be soft when hot, but it will firm up somewhat as it cools; it should still be creamy when cool. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan, then cut into 25 squares (5 squares by 5 squares), wiping the knife blade between cuts.