I never thought this day he COMESA finally Mars! Each winter, I tell myself that all I have to do is get through January and February, then it is smooth sailing through spring! Even if Mars could very well be just as cold and dreary that the first months of the year, my birthday a little more hot week and time seems to make all the difference. (And luckily for me, I will be in Europe for 2 weeks of the month so it's about the best month ever.)
It seems to me that the first day of March justify something bright sunny don 't you think? Nothing screams sun makes me as a bright lemon bar and pie. This recipe from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook is particularly wonderful because you can any thing in a food processor. Given my existence-free dishwasher I'm an instant fan of recipes that are effectively flat and it is just that.
There are some time, beautiful people sent me a KitchenAid Food Processor 13 cup to review and I been waiting for a chance to really put to the test. I thought it is high power blade could be perfect to puree a whole lemon law? One of the interesting features of this particular device is that besides the normal bowl, there is another small bowl / blade that nests at the top. I made the crust in the top one and then thrown in the sink and makes the filling of the main tank. (Nothing is more boring to me than having to wash the mid-recipe dishes.)
I really like this machine and found it easy to use and super smooth when running. Another feature I'm excited to try is an adjustable slicing. Although I have a mandolin (a wedding gift I have to use yet), it seems like an easy way to cut thin apples or other fruits / vegetables!
I was not sure how these bars had the taste with whole lemon in there (the skin, bone marrow and all) but I am so happy with the taste! They were perfectly tart and taste as sweet, with a creamy texture and a thick shortbread crust. They gathered in a short time and I am sure this is a classic recipe, I will do again and again
Warning: KitchenAid sent me a food processor to examine, but written opinions are entirely my own!
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt table
- ½ cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces, a little more for greasing the mold
- 1 small medium size lemon (about 4½ ounces, about 3 inches long)
- 1-1½ cups sugar *
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Table ¼ teaspoon salt
- Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut two 12-inch lengths of parchment paper and cut each to fit the bottom of a square pan 8 inches. Press the first sheet on the bottom and sides of your pan in one direction, then use the second sheet to align the rest of the pan, run perpendicular to the first sheet. Lightly butter or spray the exposed parts of the parchment. Put the pan aside.
- Make the crust. Combine flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is powdery, but so firmly pinched, will hold together. Turn the dough crumbs into prepared pan and press dough evenly over the bottom and about ½ inch on the sides. Prick all over with a fork and bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. If all parties boil, gently prick again with a fork. Leave the oven
- Cut your lemon into thin slices and discard the seeds. Mix the lemon slices in the bowl of your food processor, add the sugar, and operate the machine until the lemon is pureed, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and again operate the machine until the mixture is smooth, scraping the walls of the working bowl as required. Add eggs, cornstarch and salt and pulse the machine in short bursts until the mixture is evenly combined.
- Pour lemon mixture over crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is set, slightly gelatinous and slightly golden on top.
- Let cool completely on rack or pan in the refrigerator. Gently cut around the outside of the parchment paper to ensure no sides stuck, then gently use the scroll bar lift on a cutting board and cut into squares.
Before using the lemon, you need to test to make sure the white part of the skin is not too thick. (If so the bars can be too bitter.)
Cut your lemon in half is the white part of the particularly thick skin?
If the widest part of the white is ¼ inch thick or less, your lemon is good to go. If part of it is thicker than ¼ inch, however, remove the skin of a little lemon half as the skin will help to even out the flavor
slightly adapted recipe from: The Cookbook Smitten Kitchen