Bake Sale Week: Raspberry Lemonade Bars

I know this seems like a bit of a cop out, seeing as last year I made those lime bars, but the name of these just makes you want one, doesn’t it? It’s like one last throw back to the summertime captured in a cookie.

Author: sophistimom.com

Instructions

for the crust:

◈9 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick, plus one tablespoon)

◈1/4 cup (50g) superfine sugar (or regular granulated)

◈1 cup (100g) of unbleached all-purpose flour

◈pinch salt

for the filling:

◈1 1/2 cups (287g) superfine sugar (or regular granulated)

◈3 egg whites

◈1 egg

◈2/3 cup (150mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 3 lemons)

◈2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 lemons)

◈2/3 cup (65g) unbleached, all-purpose flour

◈pinch of salt

◈1-2 cups (150-275g) of frozen raspberries, defrosted

◈1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

✖Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 degrees Celsius). Line a 8×8″ * square baking pan with a strip of parchment paper (8×14″) 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. You can omit this step completely, though. You don’t even need to butter the pan.)

✖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.

✖Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. While it cools, prepare the filling.

✖Whisk sugar, egg whites, egg, lemon juice and zest, flour, and salt in a large bowl. Pour raspberries into a sieve and press through to extract all the pulp and juices. Whisk into lemon mixture and pour into crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes until filling is completely set. Let cool completely. (I help mine along in the freezer for about an hour.) Using the overlapping edges of parchment paper, gently lift the dessert from the pan. Cut into 16 squares. Dust with confectioner’s sugar.