A LEMONY cookie week post

Okay, so what happens when you fill the cookie tins
and put them neatly in the basement freezer...
all stacked one upon the other and looking so lovely
as they wait for the festive season.

What happens?

Cookie raiders happen.
It is just a fact of life.
Part of the ritual.

There is absolutely no getting around it
so, you smile,
you pick up the tin that has toppled to the bottom of the freezer.

You convince yourself that it will build memories for them
and make this tradition of Christmas baking all that more eventful.
Perhaps they will even carry forward some of your recipes so that one day their own
little ones can make a complete mess of the basement freezer....

Oh traditions!
And here is one of my favourite.
LEMON BARS

So, there are some variations on this recipe but this is a more rustic recipe for lemon bars.
By that I mean....not the smooth lemony filling of a more traditional bar.

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

1 cup flour
8 tbsp. melted unsalted butter
One teaspoon vanilla

I find that the vanilla allows me to omit the sugar that traditional recipes may call for.
However, if you prefer a more "sweet" lemon bar then you should add,

One half cup of sugar

Mix the crust ingredients together and turn into a foil-lined 8 inch pan.
Maybe you prefer parchment paper...and actually I usually do...but for some reason I have been doing these with tin foil.

Bake the crust for 20-25 minutes until it is a lovely golden brown.
While it is baking you can prepare the lemon filling.

Now, here is what makes this recipe a bit more rustic in my mind.
You want to add in the rind of the lemon.
Be sure to wash your lemons well or purchase organic lemons.

Lemon Filling

1 large or 2 small lemons
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice (sometimes I drop in an extra for good measure!)
3 large eggs
4 tsp. corn starch
3 tbsp. melted unsalted butter


1. Cut up the lemon(s) into chunks and drop them into your food processor.
2. Add in the sugar, lemon juice, eggs, corn starch and butter.
3. Blend until fairly smooth but leaving some evidence of rind.

This of course really depends on how rustic you want to make this.
As you can see below it gives a bit of a "lumpier" lemon filling.

Once the crust comes out of the oven, pour the lemon mixture over top and put back in the oven
at 300 degrees F for approximately 20-25 minutes until the lemon mixture has set.

I then let them cool before sprinkling the top with icing sugar.

ENJOY.
I have joined this lovely gang this week for 5 days of cookie recipes!!

Angie from Echoes of Laughter

Julie from Sober Julie

Stacey from This Lil’ Piglet

Joann from Woman In Real Life

Jo-Anna from A Pretty Life In The Suburbs

Grace from Sense & Simplicity

Donna From An Anglo In Quebec

Ricki Jill from Art@Home

If you want to see what's in the freezer....check here, this is Post #1