As I was pondering the new “stay at home” order for the state of Illinois -due to the spread of the Covid 19 Virus – I came across a tweet by actor Matt McConaughey. He talked about relying on each other throughout this struggle, and putting aside prejudice of all kinds in order to beat the enemy called the Corona Virus. “There is a green light on the other side of this red light”. His message of hope touched me, as that is what we all need to hold onto right now. He said if we handle this crisis now with fairness, kindness, accountability, resiliance, respect and courage, we will come out on the other side a more unified nation. He said “lets make lemonade out of this lemon”. That is something that makes me hopeful!!
So I’m making “lemonade” out of this “lemon” today! Well, actually I’m making “lemon bars” out of lemons. I plan to give these to my neighbors with a drop-off at their doorsteps!
What I like about this lemon bar, is that it’s tart, but not too tart. It only uses 7 Tbsp of lemon juice, instead of a full cup that some recipes use. It’s also creamy, but stands up to cutting without becoming runny. The crust is a standard shortbread crust – a perfect base for these bars.
RECIPE FOR LEMON BARS (made in a 9″ x 13″ pan)
Ingredients:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
- 1/2 c powdered sugar
- 2 c all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 large eggs
- 7 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 3/4 c granulated sugar
- 1/3 c flour
- Powdered sugar for topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 9″ x 13″ pan. Spray with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper. Press into corners, and up the sides.
For the crust, combine butter, powdered sugar, 2 c flour, and salt. Blend using a pastry cutter, til pea-sized crumbs form. Pour into the prepared pan, and press the mixture evenly and firmly, using the bottom of a measuring cup.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. DO NOT let it brown – remove from oven when it looks slightly puffy, and “set”.
While the crust is baking, prepare the lemon and egg mixture. In a stand mixer, or using a large bowl and a whisk, combine the eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and 1/3 c flour. Whisk until “frothy” – about 1 minute.
Remove the crust from the oven. Carefully spread the lemon and egg mixture over the top, using a large spoon. This will evenly distribute the liquid without disturbing the crust.
Return the pan to the oven, and bake for another 20 minutes, til set. Remove from the oven, and cool.
Generously sprinkle with powdered sugar, and slice to desired size. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
