Deals and Meals...: When Life gives you Lemons... Make some fabulous Desserts!!

Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars…The Barefoot Contessa’s recipe.

Easy and Divine!

Ingredients

For the Crust:

· 2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature

· 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

· 1/2 cup granulated sugar

For the Filling:

· 1 cup all-purpose flour

· 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature

· 3 cups granulated sugar

· Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

· 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)

· 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

3. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed.

4. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

5. Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

6. For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

7. Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

BROWN BUTTER LEMON BARS!

A twist on an old favorite… Brown Butter makes everything a little better!

These could be dangerous…

DOUGH

· 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

· 2/3 cup cake or pastry flour

· 1/2 cup powdered sugar

· 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

· 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes

· 1 egg

LEMON CURD

· 1/2 cup unsalted butter

· 3 large eggs

· 3/4 cup granulated sugar

· 1 tablespoon lemon zest

· 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons)

Make the Dough…

· Combine the flours, powdered sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined, about 5 pulses.

· Add the butter and egg and process for 20-30 seconds or until the mixture just comes together.

· Flatten into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

· In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat until light brown and the butter has a nutty fragrance. Watch the butter carefully and remove from the heat as soon as it browns to avoid burning. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

· Preheat the oven to 450F.

Make the Lemon Curd…

· Bring a saucepan of shallow water to a simmer. In a heatproof bowl that will fit over the saucepan, add eggs and sugar and whisk for 2 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow.

· Whisk in lemon zest, juice and brown butter and then set the bowl over the simmering water.

· Whisk constantly for 8-10 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken.

· Remove from the heat and cover with plastic wrap. Press the plastic wrap onto the surface of the curd to avoid forming a skin. Set the lemon curd aside.

· Roll the dough out into a 9" x 9" square and then press the dough into an 8"x8" baking dish. Press the extra inch of dough up the sides and then trim any excess dough to form an even crust all the way around.

· Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is light golden brown. Let the crust cool for 15 minutes on a wire baking rack.

· Spread the warm lemon curd over the warm pastry and let cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to one week, before serving.

· Cut into squares and... Enjoy every bite!

Adapted from Baking by James Peterson

Lemon Pistachio Cupcakes

Delicious Cupcakes made with Lemon Pistachios. Make something a little different for Easter Dessert.

Just a little fancy… you know, with Pistachios and all…

Ingredients

· 1 package Nature Box Lemon Pucker Pistachios

· 1 box of white cake mix

· 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant pistachio pudding

· 1/3 Cup vegetable oil

· 1¼ cup water

· 3 large eggs

· 2 cups heavy cream

· 1/3 Cup white sugar

Instructions

· Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place cupcake liners in cupcake pan.

· Grind Lemon Pucker Pistachios in a food processor or blender.

· Combine cake mix and its ingredients according to package directions.

· Add in pudding mix and combine well. Gently stir in ground pistachio nuts into batter.

· Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full with cupcake batter.

· Bake for approximately 16-18 minutes or until center is done. A toothpick should come out clean.

· Let cupcakes cool completely.

· In a small bowl add cream and white sugar and beat until soft peaks form.

· Add remaining package of pistachio pudding and mix until incorporated.

· Frost cupcakes with pistachio cream mixture and store in the refrigerator until serving
Author: Kimberly@night owl

Ritz Carlton… Lemon Pound Cake

The Famous Ritz Carlton Hotel 1920's Tea Room Lemon Pound Cake...super moist and beyond delicious!!!

Wonderful lemon flavor…without being overwhelming. This is my "go-to" Pound Cake from now on.

Ingredients

· 3 cups all-purpose flour

· 1 Tbsp. baking powder

· 3/4 tsp salt

· 3 cups sugar

· 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

· 1/2 cup shortening, room temperature

· 5 large eggs

· 1 cup whole milk

· 6 Tbsp. lemon juice

· 1 lemon, zested

Make it…

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray or butter and flour 2 loaf pans or one large Bundt pan.

2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended after each one.

4. Add dry ingredients in three additions to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Mix in lemon juice and zest.

5. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.

6. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

**DO NOT fill your pans to the top or the cake will overflow. Leave at least a half inch to an inch unfilled. You may have leftover batter…
Recipe Source... Plain Chicken

Simple

Lemon-Strawberry Parfaits

Make this Dessert even easier by using store bought Pound Cake and Whipped Cream.

And there you are… an absolutely Decadent Dessert worthy of Easter Dinner! Everyone will Love it!

Ingredients

· Sliced Pound Cake (store bought or homemade)

· 1 batch of microwave lemon curd (Recipe is below)

· 1 cup diced fresh strawberries

· 1 cup heavy cream plus 2 tablespoons sugar; whipped

(Or use store bought)

Directions

1. Using a small circular biscuit or cookie cutter, cut 8 circles from the sliced pound cake. You want the pound cake cut outs to fit snuggly inside your mini parfait glass. Alternately you can cube the pound cake.

2. Place one piece of pound cake into the bottom of each mini parfait glass. Pipe or spoon a layer of lemon curd directly onto the pound cake. Add a layer of fresh strawberries and then a layer of whipped cream. Repeat layers. If desired, finish with strawberries.

3. NOTES… These Lemon Curd Parfaits can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Simply cover each parfait with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Simple Microwave Lemon Curd

I am a big fan of all things lemon… If you have never before made Lemon Curd… it is your lucky day! When finished you will have (and want to hide) a thick, tart Lemon Cream that you’ll want to eat with a spoon.

With this microwave method, you’ll feel like you’re cheating a bit and possibly become a serious Lemon Curd addict since you can whip up a batch in about 5 minutes! Once you taste this Lemon Curd, you’ll be digging through your pantry and fridge just searching for something to slather it on.

Ingredients

· 1 cup white sugar

· 3 eggs

· 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons)

· zest of 3 lemons

· 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth and thoroughly combined. Whisk in lemon juice, lemon zest and butter.

2. Cook in the microwave on full power for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute. This process will take about 3-5 minutes depending on the strength of your microwave. You will know the lemon curd is done cooking when it coats the back of a metal spoon.

3. Remove from the microwave, push through a fine, mesh sieve and pour into sterile jar.

4. NOTES… Store Lemon Curd in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Thank you to… mybakingaddiction.com

Cheesecake Lemon Bars

A light Lemony Cheesecake Dessert

that makes two layers…

One Lemony Layer… and another Cheesecake Layer.

Looks pretty Easterish to me…

You will be eating seconds… just sayin’

Ingredients

· 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

· 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

· 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes

· 1 1/2 cups white sugar

· 2 eggs, beaten

· 1 tablespoon lemon zest

· 1/2 cup lemon juice

· 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

· 1 cup white sugar

· 4 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.

2. Whisk together 1 1/2 cup flour and confectioners' sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared baking dish to form a crust.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside.

4. Whisk together 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a bowl.

5. Pour lemon mixture into the prepared crust. Skim off any bubbles from the surface of the filling.

6. Mix the cream cheese and 1 cup sugar in a bowl until well blended. Whisk in 2 eggs, and then spread over the lemon mixture. The mixtures will separate during baking.

7. Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is set, about 30 minutes.

Recipe source…piarecipes.com

No-Bake Lemon Cloud Pie