Strawberry Lemonade Bars…*
…oh-so-berry delicious
Oh Chicago, you’re such a tease. The hot and sunny 80° weather last week made me crave summer even more. Now, of course, it’s 40° and windy. However, this did not stop me from dreaming of fruity, summertime treats, and cool, refreshing beverages. My favorite, of course, is a cold, tall glass of lemonade (or a raspberry mojito… just saying.) When I saw ‘Handle the Heat’s’ post for Raspberry Lemonade Bars, I knew I had to jump on the bandwagon and bake along. I chose to substitute strawberries because they’re in season and much less expensive. The bars turned out to be very flavorful for the strawberries are sweet and juicy, and the lemons tangy and sour. Both flavors are perfectly balanced and complement the crisp, crumbly crust quite wonderfully. This summertime dessert is candied, tart, and completely refreshing. They are a bit sticky and should be refrigerated to maintain freshness. Nevertheless, these scrumptious little bars are for the books. They are oh-so-berry-delicious! Enjoy :)
…oh-so-berry delicious
Oh Chicago, you’re such a tease. The hot and sunny 80° weather last week made me crave summer even more. Now, of course, it’s 40° and windy. However, this did not stop me from dreaming of fruity, summertime treats, and cool, refreshing beverages. My favorite, of course, is a cold, tall glass of lemonade (or a raspberry mojito… just saying.) When I saw ‘Handle the Heat’s’ post for Raspberry Lemonade Bars, I knew I had to jump on the bandwagon and bake along. I chose to substitute strawberries because they’re in season and much less expensive. The bars turned out to be very flavorful for the strawberries are sweet and juicy, and the lemons tangy and sour. Both flavors are perfectly balanced and complement the crisp, crumbly crust quite wonderfully. This summertime dessert is candied, tart, and completely refreshing. They are a bit sticky and should be refrigerated to maintain freshness. Nevertheless, these scrumptious little bars are for the books. They are oh-so-berry-delicious! Enjoy :)
The Ingredients…*
Adapted from Handle the Heat, Originally posted by Sophistimom
For the Crust:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
For the Filling:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 egg whites
1 whole egg
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
2/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1-2 cups of (fresh or frozen) strawberries, sliced
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
Adapted from Handle the Heat, Originally posted by Sophistimom
For the Crust:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
For the Filling:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 egg whites
1 whole egg
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
2/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1-2 cups of (fresh or frozen) strawberries, sliced
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
The Instructions…*
For the Crust:
(1) Preheat oven to 350° F; Line a 8×8″ square baking pan with a strip of parchment paper that covers the bottom and overlaps on either side (this is so after it cools, you can pull out the entire pan of lime bars and cut them neatly)
(2) Cream butter, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer; Mix in flour until just incorporated; Flour hands and press dough into 8×8″ square baking pan, so that it comes up about a 1/2 inch around the sides
(3) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until slightly golden brown; while it cools, prepare the filling
For the Filling:
(4) Whisk sugar, egg whites, egg, lemon juice and zest, flour, and salt in a large bowl
(5) Slice strawberries and place into a sieve and press through to extract all the pulp and juices; discard any remaining juice
(6) Whisk into lemon mixture and pour into crust
(7) Bake for 30-35 minutes until filling is completely set.
(8) Let cool completely then place in the fridge to chill. Once chilled, using the overlapping edges of parchment paper, gently lift the dessert from the pan; Cut into 16 squares and dust with confectioner’s sugar
For the Crust:
(1) Preheat oven to 350° F; Line a 8×8″ square baking pan with a strip of parchment paper that covers the bottom and overlaps on either side (this is so after it cools, you can pull out the entire pan of lime bars and cut them neatly)
(2) Cream butter, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer; Mix in flour until just incorporated; Flour hands and press dough into 8×8″ square baking pan, so that it comes up about a 1/2 inch around the sides
(3) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until slightly golden brown; while it cools, prepare the filling
For the Filling:
(4) Whisk sugar, egg whites, egg, lemon juice and zest, flour, and salt in a large bowl
(5) Slice strawberries and place into a sieve and press through to extract all the pulp and juices; discard any remaining juice
(6) Whisk into lemon mixture and pour into crust
(7) Bake for 30-35 minutes until filling is completely set.
(8) Let cool completely then place in the fridge to chill. Once chilled, using the overlapping edges of parchment paper, gently lift the dessert from the pan; Cut into 16 squares and dust with confectioner’s sugar