Lemon Coconut Squares for a Bake Sale {Webisode #21}

What’s Going on Today: Finalizing things with the movers, taking advantage of last few days in New York!
Naptime Goals: Make Lemon Coconut Squares for picnic in Central Park tomorrow.
Tonight’s Menu: Leftover Roast Chicken, Green Beans with Walnuts, Lemon Coconut Squares for dessert (we don’t have to take the whole batch to our picnic, after all…)
Parenting Lesson of the Day: Don’t pack the toys ’til last.

I am trying to take advantage of everything New York has to offer over the next few days and tomorrow we are doing a picnic with friends in the park. We are all bringing homemade food to enjoy – kind of like a Central Park Potluck. It will be a really fun celebration for all of us. Though the kids will be running riot the parents will feast and I am going to do my best to contribute by making my favorite spring treat for potlucks or bake sales, Lemon Coconut Squares.

With leftovers in the fridge tonight this is a great day for baking. I am also baking these in honor of Big Girls, Small Kitchen and their Virtual Bake Sale. I love collaborating with Cara and Phoebe and when they wrote to ask for my participation in this event I jumped at the opportunity.

Big Girls, Small Kitchen will partner with Baking For Good, an online mail order gifting service for sweet treats that donates 15% of every purchase to a cause of the customer’s choosing. Big Girls, Small Kitchen will develop a cookie to be sold on the Baking For Good site and the confection will be available exclusively from April 19th – May 9th (Mother’s Day). BGSK will sponsor the Bake Sale event as a means of raising awareness for The Valerie Fund, an organization in the tri-state area that provides comprehensive health care for children with cancer and blood disorders. Baking for Good will offer an extra 5% donation to The Valerie Fund when people purchase the BGSK treat, even if another charity is selected as the primary recipient of the donation.

I can think of no better way to celebrate spring then by supporting a charity that helps families with cancer. I also can think of no better treat to share with you right now then these squares, they simply scream spring in every way and would be a surefire hit at any bake sale this season. Unlike my other favorite lemon bars, these are more like coconut squares baked on top of a shortbread crust with a lemon glaze. The bright citrus and coconut flavors are light and refreshing with a great balance of tart and sweet. Furthermore, they are easy to bake during naptime, as you’ll see. After they’ve baked I let them rest overnight (sneaking the occasional nibble here and there) and cut them the next morning for our picnic. Like a lot of desserts involving fruit I find that these squares are most delicious after they’ve been able to sit overnight. The flavor ripens and is more vibrant the next day.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. To learn more about the Valerie Fund please visit this website and thanks again for your participation in this great cause.