Lemon Bars

As the oldest child, I remember having special privileges – privileges like staying up late with mom to watch Dynasty. Once a week, we would make lemon bars, snack ourselves into the world of shoulder pads, and male stunt doubles in awful wigs playing the roles of over-privileged, fighting women.

Lemon bars never made me feel entitled; nor, did they throw me into catfights. After all, many of us oldest kids understand with great lemon bars comes great responsibility. I washed plenty of dishes & piles of laundry and babysat my siblings to earn my guilty pleasures of watching Dynasty.

And, when I hadn’t, I just sneaked behind my dad’s armchair to watch from the hallway. Don’t tell mom.

Lemon Bars

Makes 12 bars.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lemon Curd

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (this will take about 3 lemons)
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot (or 3 if you’d like it to be firmer)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Place lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, egg yolks & arrowroot into a saucepan and whisk together well until cornstarch has dissolved. Place saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook while whisking continuously. Remove from heat when you see it start to thicken. Stir in butter until fully melted.  Set aside.

Cook’s Note

Save egg whites in the fridge for an egg-white omelet or 1/4 cup will replace one large egg in other recipes.

 Streusel Crust

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, diced
• 3/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup of powdered sugar
• Zest from 2 fresh lemons (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 egg yolk

Place ingredients into a food processor and press pulse until combined but still crumbly (about the size of peas).

Lemon Bars Assimilation

Press the streusel crust into a 9X13 pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until it is light golden brown. Pour lemon curd evenly over crust. Bake for about 10 more minutes.

Best if served when cooled to at least room temperature and refrigeration will make them firmer for a cleaner cut – not that mom & I did this. Like. Um. Ever. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar through a sifter if desired. Cut into delightful, golden squares.

Your Own Creative Touch

There are many ways to make these lemon bars your very own. You can mix 1/4 cup of poppy seeds into the cookie bar dough.

Or, how about spreading a thin layer of strawberry jam over the dough before adding the lemon curd.

Or, how about this craziness? The cream cheese filling in the middle? Don’t have a cream cheese filling recipe? No worries. I’ve got your back…

Cream Cheese Filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (or 1/2 a stick) softened
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Whip ingredients together for a few minutes. Use as a filling in between the cookie bar layer and lemon curd in your lemon bars.

P.S. My new favorite appliance is the electric citrus juicer!