Friday, June 8, 2012

Fluffy Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

CRUST:
1/4 C. oat flour (I just used oats ground in my food processor)
1/4 C. wheat flour - I actually used a little less than 1/4 c. then filled the rest of the cup with....
2 Tbsp ground flax
1 C. raw almonds, ground to a fine meal in a food processor)
1/4 C. light agave nectar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp canola oil

TOPPING:
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 C. light agave nectar
2 large egg yolks
Juice & freshly grated zest of 2 lemons
1/2 C. barley flour (I used all-purpose)
1 C. evaporated milk
3 large egg whites

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8x8-in baking pan with canola oil spray. (This actually made REALLY thick bars, so if you prefer your lemon bars to be thinner, I'd use a 13x9-in pan.)

To make the crust, mix all the crust ingredients together in a bowl. Press the crust mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 15 minutes, or until slightly browned. Set aside.

To make the topping, in a large bowl whisk together the butter, agave nectar, and egg yolks. Add the lemon juice, zest, flour and evaporated milk. Whisk until well blended. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer set on medium speed for approximately 1-2 minutes, until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the lemon mixture until combined. Pour the mixture over the prepared crust and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top begins to turn golden and the filling is set. 

Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack completely before cutting into bars. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Recipe taken from "Baking with Agave Nectar"  by Ania Catalano. Adapted by Jen.