Tangy Lemon Bars {Recipe}

This morning Marion from Sweetopia.net partnered with the TomKatStudio had a lovely post on a blue and yellow themed Easter Brunch.  I love dessert tables for special gatherings.  Guests are always charmed by them.  So if you are thinking of doing something similar for your Easter or Passover celebrations why not throw in some Tangy Lemon Bars to balance out those sweet sugar cookies?  These are our deparment chair's favorite (in case you have him on your committee and need to take them with you to the next meeting).

Recipe:  (for a 9x13 pan)

Shortbread

Preheat oven to 350 degress F

2 cups of unbleached flour (can be replaced with bleached or for more whole grains equal parts of wheat and unbleached flour)

1 1/2 sticks of cold unsalted butter (or Passover margarine or even cold vegetable shortening if you have a dairy allergy)
1/2 cup of packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Cut butter in 1/2 inch (small) pieces and blend flour, butter, sugar, and salt with a pastry fork (see the dirty one pictured to the side) or a food processor until the mixture resembles crumbled bagged soil or is pea sized.  Place in a pan lined with aluminum foil that overhangs the edges.  Press with a spatula into the pan.  Bake around 20 minutes until the color is golden brown.  While that is baking, make filling.

Lemon Filling
8 eggs (organic or natural eggs taste better!)
1 1/2 cups of sugar (some like them with 2 cups or with only 1 cup, I lean toward less)
1 1/2 cups of lemon juice
2/3 cup of flour (see above comments)
1 teaspoon of lemon zest or real lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon of cardamom (optional but is what makes them original)

Whisk together and pore on hot shorbread.  Reduce oven temperature to 300F.  Pop large bubbles on the top with the whisk or a toothpick .  Cook in oven for 30-40 minutes until center is set when you lightly jiggle the pan (my oven can be moody).  Cool in pan until you can touch the side of it.  Cut with a clean blade or a plastic knife. Remove from pan using the overhanging aluminum foil.  Arrange on a lovely dish.  Refridgerate and right before serving sprinkle with powdered sugar.  

Golden Brown



Pop these bubbles.



See what happens when you don't pop the bubbles.





Hope you feel inspired!  Have a delicious day!