Zesty and Tangy

Moving full steam ahead with baking, the next item on the agenda was a “healthy” dessert to bring to a get-together with the girls in my program. Well, I decided to forego healthy and follow my heart to a tart, satisfying, treat: lemon bars.

Here’s the thing. This is not your average lemon bar. Nooo.  These lemon bars have some sass. Some pizazz. You’ve got personality? So do they.

This is largely due to the use of the WHOLE lemon in this recipe. Yes, you read correctly. Break out your food processor, because you’re using the whole enchilada. But just between you and me, it works. I mean, it really works.

These lemon bars are not for the faint-hearted. The tang in these guys will make your eyes bulge. And then you’ll go back for seconds. Maybe even thirds.

Photo from David Leibovitz

Lemon Bars
David Leibovitz

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Lemon Topping
1 lemon, organic
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 large eggs, room temperature
4 teaspoons corn starch
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Optional: powdered sugar, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, melted butter, and vanilla, stirring just until smooth.

4. Smooth the batter into the bottom of the pan, using your hands or a small offset spatula to get it as level as possible.

5. Bake the crust for 25 minutes, or until it’s deep-golden brown.

6. While the crust is cooking, cut the lemon in half, remove the seeds, and cut the lemon into chunks.

7. Put the chunks of lemon in a food processor or blender along with the sugar and lemon juice, and let it run until the lemon is completely broken up. Add the eggs, corn starch, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 3 tablespoons melted butter, and blend until almost smooth. (A few tiny bits of lemon pieces are normal and encouraged.)

8. When the crust comes out of the oven, reduce the heat of the oven to 300ºF. Pour the lemon filling over the hot crust and bake for 25 minutes or just until the filling stops jiggling and is barely set.

9. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cool, carefully lift out the bars grasping the foil. Cut the bars into squares or rectangles. Sift powdered sugar over the top just before serving, if desired.