Lemon Raspberry Bars

Active time: 35 minutes | Total bake time: 45 minutes | Cooling time: 4+ hours

So if you've perused my blog, even just briefly, it's pretty obvious that I make a lot of super sweet and rich desserts. Since I share all of my baked goods with friends and coworkers, I get a lot of requests. My friend, Adam, one day asked why I don't make more fruity desserts and I thought to myself "hmm he's right, I should experiment with lighter and more fruity desserts"...A few weeks later I went to his place for dinner party and I just HAD to bring a sweet treat for dessert so I decided to try and experiment with lemon bars! I ended up messing around with the recipe a couple times and ended up loving how these came out. They are nice and tart for those of you who love a dessert that makes you pucker and they turned out to be a big hit at the dinner party.

Ingredients:

For the Shortbread:

• 113g (½ cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

• 50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp salt

• 135g (1 cup + 1 tbsp) all purpose flour

• 40 (½ cup) shredded coconut (also known as desiccated coconut)

For the Lemon:

• 200g (1 cup) granulated sugar

• 25g (3 tbsp) all purpose flour

• 3 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

• 120ml (½ cup) lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)

For the raspberry sauce:

• 25g (⅛ cup) granulated sugar

• 1 tsp cornstarch

• 113g (1 cup / 4 ounces) fresh or frozen raspberries

• 1 tbsp water

• 2 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. For the Raspberry Sauce: In a small saucepan, whisk sugar and cornstarch together until combined.

2. Add raspberries, water, and lemon juice, then set the pan over medium heat. Stir about every minute until the mixture begins to bubble (around 7 minutes).

3. Continue to cook at a boil for 2 minutes, until the mixture has thickened slightly. Set aside to cool.

4. For the Shortbread: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 or 7x11 pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

5. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt with a spatula.

6. Fold in the flour until the dough just comes together, then fold in the shredded coconut until just evenly distributed, do not overmix.

7. Press the shortbread into your prepared pan in an even layer. Press holes into the dough with a fork, but do not poke the holes all the way through the dough. This will help the lemon layer stay attached to the shortbread.

8. Bake for 20-23 minutes until the shortbread is very lightly browned. Set aside and lower the oven temp to 325°F

9. For the Lemon Layer: Whisk the sugar and flour together in a large bowl, then whisk in the eggs until smooth.

10. Add lemon juice and vanilla, whisk until incorporated.

11. Pour the lemon filling over the shortbread crust (while the shortbread is still warm), then spoon the raspberry sauce over the top of the lemon layer. Draw through with a knife to distribute the raspberry.

12. Bake for 21-27 minutes until the center of the lemon layer no longer jiggles.

13. Remove the lemon bars from the oven and set at room temperature to cool completely (around 2 hours), then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 more hours until chilled.

14. Once completely cooled, lemon bars can be removed from the pan and cut into slices. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.