My husband probably hasn't met a lemon treat that he didn't love. The only problem is, he has a food allergy to egg so most lemon cakes and cookies are out of the question. After I began making desserts without egg, he insisted that I create a lemon bar recipe just for him.
"I don't understand, how are we supposed live happily ever after if there are no lemon bars?" -My Husband
...And like the wonderful husband that I am, I did just that. This wasn't an easy feat though, the lemon filling ingredients must have the appropriate ratios, otherwise they will not congeal properly.
Initially, I tried using Flax-seed to replace the egg; and while this this always works with other baked goods, my lemon filling wasn't as cooperative. Plus, it left the filling with a slightly nutty flavor that I was not trying to achieve. I know some of you are probably think "why not just use 'Egg-Replacer', Daniel?"...Well for your information, I have some at home. While egg-replacer is a great substitute for muffins, cornbread and pancakes; it is not ideal for fillings.
This is where Unsweetened Applesauce comes to the rescue! It congeals perfectly with the other ingredients, doesn't take away from the lemon flavor and it's so easy to use in almost anything that requires egg. Just 4 Tbsp of applesauce can replace one egg.
Cooking Tips:
Always use good quality butter and bakeware. Also, sift your dry ingredients such as flour, sugar, salt, etc. This will break up any lumps and make it easier to mix into other ingredients.
Whisk your filling really good to ensure the ingredients are well combined.
Make sure you have a 'Mesh Sieve' (strainer), it's a real headache trying to fish out lemon seeds from a bowl of lemon juice.
Just like with Brownies, you get better results when you use plastic to slice your lemon bars. Plastic has a natural non-stick surface so it won't ruin the look of your pan dessert.
Wash your lemons, this removes potential pesticides, dirt and bacteria
Ingredients:
Crust
1 Cup butter, softened
½ Cup White Sugar
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
Lemon Filling
1 ½ Cups White Sugar
¼ Cup All-Purpose Flour
8 Tbsp Unsweetened Applesauce
½ Tsp Lemon Extract
3 Lemons, juiced
Zest from the lemons
*Note: You may double the filling recipe if you like a lot of filling.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F
In a medium bowl, combine all crust ingredients (2 cups flour, softened butter and ½ cup sugar) until dough forms.
Press the dough into the bottom of an ungreased but lightly floured 9x13 inch baking pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden
In a separate bowl, combine all lemon filling ingredients (Sugar, Flour, Applesauce, Extract, Lemon Juice and Zest). Whisk well to combine all ingredients.
Pour filling over baked crust and bake for another 20-25 minutes.
Allow dish to cool completely before serving. Enjoy!
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