WWarren, a senior designer (and friend) at work
gave me four homegrown lemons this week!
Check out his tree!
Warren's Lemon Tree and Blooming Bird of Paradise Plants
I dug out a favorite lemon bar recipe and doubled it so that I have lots of lemon bars to take to Warren tomorrow! This is a mildly tart lemon bar – if you like it extra tart, add another lemon’s worth of zest and juice.
Lemon Bars
adapted recipe from Baking Illustrated
Makes two 9″ square pans
Crust
2-1/2 cups (6 1/4 oz) all-purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened & cut into 1-inch pieces
Filling
14 large egg yolks, plus 4 large eggs
2 cup plus 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1-1/3 to 1-1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
To make the crust: lightly pray two 9-inch square baking pans with cooking spray.
Line the pan with aluminum foil or parchment, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to lift the bars out after they’ve baked.
Spray the parchment or foil lightly with cooking spray.
Add the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt to the bowl of your food processor.
Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and process to blend, about 8-10 seconds.
Pulse just a few more times, until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal.
Divide and dump the mixture into the prepared baking pans;
use the tips of your fingers to press it into an even layer over the bottom of the pan.
Refrigerate the crust for 30 minutes (or freeze for 15 minutes).
While the crust is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 F.
Grate the zest from approximately 4 lemons (about 1/2 cup)
Squeeze the lemon juice by hand or with your handy electric juicer!
After chilling, bake the crusts for about 20 minutes, or until light golden brown –
turn the pans once about half way thru.
While the crust bakes, make the filling:
In a large saucepan, whisk the egg yolks and eggs together until combined.
Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl and use your fingertips
to rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
Add the sugar to the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
Finally, add the lemon juice and salt and whisk until all ingredients are blended.
Place the pot of filling over medium-low heat and add the butter.
Stirring continuously, cook until the curd thickens slightly and registers 170 F thermometer.
Pour the curd through a strainer into a large bowl.
- Yucky Stuff Removed
Pour the filling over the warm crust (this is important – you don’t want to let the crust cool before adding the filling).
Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the the center jiggles just slightly when shaken.
Remove the pan to a wire rack and cool completely.
Use the foil to lift the bars out of the pan and cut into squares.
One for the cook
Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.
Warren sings with the Gateway Men's Chorus - Ask him about the Lemon Squares during intermission next week at Piano Men
Yellow Lemon, Yellow Spring Flowers – Daffodils are blooming at Walter Knoll Florist –
stop into one of our stores for our wholesale bunch special – 10 stem daffodil bunches for $10
While supplies last!
Visit us at wkf.com for specials on daffodil bouquets delivered
