Lemon Almond Date Bars Recipes

LEMON-DATE BARS

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides. Butter parchment. Whisk together flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a bowl. Work in butter with your fingertips until combined and mixture holds together when pinched. Press crust evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Freeze 15 minutes. Bake crust until light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Filling: Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl, soak dates in boiling water 15 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Puree dates in a food processor with enough of soaking liquid (about 1/2 cup) to make a spreadable paste. (You should have about 1 1/4 cups.)
• While dates are soaking, whisk together granulated sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in eggs, then lemon zest and juice.
• Spread date paste evenly over baked crust. Bake 4 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees, pour filling over date layer, then bake until just set, about 20 minutes more.
• Let cool on a wire rack 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edges, then lift out of dish using parchment. Let cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares.

ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until lemon-colored. Beat in butter and extract; gradually stir in the four and mix well. Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. , Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

ALMOND-COCONUT LEMON BARS

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, almonds and lemon zest; cover and process until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter; pulse just until mixture is crumbly. Press into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, coconut, lemon juice, flour, lemon zest and baking powder; pour over the hot crust. Bake until light golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares.