Lemon Bars

Lemon bars!

I think lemons are the best-smelling fruits in the world! But then again, I haven't smelled all the fruits that ever existed, so I may be mistaken. I've always wanted to make lemon bars. Ever since I started using lemons in baking, I've loved it. Truly. The flavour. The smell. Heavenly.

LEMON BARS

Source: Joy of Baking (visit the link for metric measurements & a how-to video)

The Whats

Shortbread Crust

1/2 cup unsalted butter - I used margarine & omitted the salt

1/4 cup icing/powdered sugar

1 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Lemon Filling

1 cup fine granulated white sugar

1 large eggs

1/3 cup lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons) - I only had 2 lemons & got about 1/4 cup juice

1 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 lemons)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Some icing/powdered sugar for dusting the top

The How-tos

Shortbread Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

2. Butter and line bottom of 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper. Make sure you butter the sides really well, and if you're up too it, line the sides with parchment paper as well. I'd advice you to do it (which implies that I didn't do it).

3. Beat the margarine and sugar using a handheld mixer until smooth and creamy.

4. Add the flour and salt and mix just until dough comes together.

5. Press the dough onto the bottom of your pan. This might prove a bit tricky. The best way would be to use the base of your palms as the dough won't stick too much to it. Use your pointer and middle fingers to gently press the dough into the corners.

6. Bake dough for about 20 minutes (mine took only 15 minutes) or until the edges are just lightly browned. Don't overbake as it's going to go into the oven again later.

7. Cool the crust while making your lemon filling.

Lemon Filling

1. Beat sugar and eggs using a handheld electric mixer until smooth.

2. Stir in lemon zest and juice.

3. Fold in flour, making sure you beat out any lumps. I like to use a spatula and chase any lumps to  the side of the bowl, pressing them against it.

4. Pour mixture on top of the crust. (My crust had sort of loosened from the sides of the pan a bit, and I was worried the filling would sink to the bottom of the pan, but thankfully they didn't. Much.)

5. Bake for 15-17 minutes or less or until the filling's set.

6. Dust top with icing sugar. Cut into bars and serrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrveeeee!!!

   I forgot about all about the bars after I'd put them into the oven  (I was busy browsing for more recipes). When I did remember, the timer was about to go off and the lemon bars were super brown. Uh-huk. I immediately rescued them without checking if the filling had set.

The crust. I overbaked it.

Just out of the oven. I overbaked the whole thing.  Darn.

   Fortunately icing sugar saved the day! What's important though, is that the flavour was not compromised. I am definitely making these again! Mum  thought they're too sweet, but I think they're fine, so I think they should be fine with you sweet-toothed lot.

   Oh yeah.. The filling stuck a bit to the sides of the pan, but I used a metal spatula to loosen them. They might turn out a bit wonky, and the filling isn't super solid, but I like them that way:

Click here to read about 10 interesting things about lemons

Cook.Eat.Delicious- Desserts: Lemon Chiffon Pie

   I've edited this entry a little because I'm submitting this recipe for my first ever event! Which also means that this blog is going public! I feel nervous which is probably silly, haha. Anyway, I hope to get to know more food bloggers through this blog. Hope this is a good first-public-post!

   This event is hosted by Raven at Cook.Eat.Delicious and it's called Cook.Eat.Delicious-Desserts! The first theme is lemons, yum! 

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   It's been a pie of a week!

   Well, I made three kinds in one week. Yeah, I went from brownie-blondie craze to pie craze. I also bought two tins of peach slices. They're waiting for KakYong and KakCik to come home, haha. 

   I think lemons are lovely! Though maybe because the ones I got were rather cheap, the colour wasn't a lovely yellow like I hoped it to be. They still smelled great anyway. I think lemons are the the stars in the citrus world!

   This recipe is another one taken from Betty Crocker's Pie and Pastry Cookbook. Here's a picture:

   It's a lovely book! I look forward to trying more recipes from it. We got it from a carboot sale when we lived in Scotland.

   And here is my one and only decent photo of the pie. We made sure to eat the other half first- because I burnt the crust, haha. I made a 9-inch crust pie, but I provided the recipe for 8-inch, 9-inch and 10-inch. I haven't included the recipe for the pie shell though because I'm still struggling with it, so just choose your favourite pie crust and make the filling!

Lemon Chiffon Pie

LEMON CHIFFON PIE

Source: Betty Crocker's Pie and Pastry Cookbook

8-INCH PIE

8-inch Baked Pie Shell

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp unflavoured gelatine

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tsp grated lemon peel

3 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/3 cup sugar

9-INCH PIE

9-inch Baked Pie Shell

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp unflavoured gelatine

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 tbsp grated lemon peel

4 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

10-INCH PIE

10-inch Baked Pie Shell

5 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2/3 cup sugar

4 tsp unflavoured gelatine

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup lemon juice

4 tsp grated lemon peel

5 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

Bake pie shell.

In saucepan blend yolks, sugar (using quantity first stated), the gelatin water and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat. stirring constantly, just until mixture boils. Stir in lemon peel. Place pan in bowl of ice and water or chill in refrigerator, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds when dropped from a spoon.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy. Beat in 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Fold in lemon mixture; pile into pie shell.

Chill several hours until set.

Note: I substituted the powdered gelatine with jelly powder because we didn't have the former. Though I'm not sure what difference it made since I'd never made chiffon pie before. It turned out okay though, but the filling could have been firmer I guess. Delicious, all the same!