Life: Idiotropic

It is a testimony to the extreme edibility of these bars that there is no photo here.  You see, these bars put this trance over me so that even me, miss snap happy herself, can't think of anything else but grabbing another one.  It's camera amnesia.  Two pans now baked and gone and not a single photo to show for it.  :(

An old favorite.  I've made these for years.  Made them once for a group of Spanish friends in Germany.  They looked at them with curiosity and distrust as they did many things that I made.  It was the group, not the cooking.  Some are more adventurous than others, but I didn't mind.  Friends are friends and food is food.

Yesterday I had a few friends over to lunch on my balcony and enjoy the sun and the view.  We had pasta with pesto and stuffed chicken.  My friends brought things.  Eva made a salad with mango and foie grois.  For dessert, I served strawberries with whipped cream, fresh lemon curd, and these lemon bars that my friends here who are as adventurous as I am, not only tried once, but twice, three times...

With a few left over, I took them over to my favorite little coffee shop today explaining that they always make nice things for us, so that today, I'd like to share something "American" with them.

Watching them survey the little paper plate was like watching children at Christmas time.  This is a food family.  They bake, they cook.  They know and appreciate food.  When the mom heard, "limon," her eyes got wide and she took a bite.  Then she yelled for her other son, the pastry chef, to come from the kitchen to try them too.  So fun to watch.  Her and her two sons.  They ate them slowly and savored each bite.  The baker asked for the recipe.

Yes, I'll share it.  I'll translate it.  And then I'll ask him how to make his chocolate mousse.  ;)

The Recipe:  Lemon Bars
From Cuisine at Home, Feb 2005 issue

1.  Preheat oven to 350; line an 8" square baking pan with foil.

2.  Toast 1/2 cup sliced almonds in a skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes.  Set aside 3T. and chop the rest well to mix into the crust.

3.  Whisk together 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 t. almond extract and 1/4 t. table salt and chopped almonds.

4.  To above flour mixture, cut in 6 T. cold, cubed, unsalted butter until the mixture is dry and crumbly.  Press into the prepared pan.

5.  Sprinkle the crust with the reserved almonds.  Press them into the crust.  Bake until the edges are golden, 20-25 min.

WHILE THE CRUST IS BAKING, prepare the filling below.

1.  Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour.

2.  Whisk in 3 eggs.

3.  Add 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (2-4 lemons depending on size) and 2 t. finely grated lemon zest.


WHEN THE CRUST IS LIGHTLY BROWNED (after the cooking time above) and STILL HOT, remove from oven, pour the lemon filling directly onto the hot crust and dust it with powdered sugar (this will make a nice light crust on top).

Return the crust to the oven and bake 18-20 minutes or until the filling no longer jiggles in the center.  Cool completely on rack.

When the bars are cool, remove from the pan by lifting out the foil by the edges.  Cut into squares and dust with more powdered sugar.

Garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs.

Can be made ahead and refrigerated.  Best the same day.  Serve at room temperature.


Notes:  For a delicious twist, substitute coconut for the almonds and lime juice and zest for the lemon.  Made these this last week.   YUM!