Meyer Lemon Bars

I've been on the search for meyer lemons for such a long time. For years I kept hearing about them, reading about them, seeing them on tv, but I just couldn't find them! For a lemon lover, this was torture. I had just about given up when I saw a box at Wegman's a few weeks ago. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them!

(Ross is such a good hand model, isn't he?)

Lemon bars are kind of like chocolate chip cookies for me. I am always looking for that perfect recipe. The crust needs to be buttery and firm, not too soggy and not too crisp. The filling needs to be tart and not too sweet. I want a lemon bar that will make my mouth pucker. It should have plenty of lemon juice and lemon zest! And most important, the filling needs to be plentiful. I like a lemon bar with a high filling to crust ratio. This recipe definitely fits the bill! The ratio of sweet to tart is perfect. The only thing I may change next time is to increase the filling recipe by 50% to get a taller bar. Whether I'm using meyer lemons or regular lemons, this is officially my go to lemon bar recipe!

Recipe: Meyer Lemon Bars
The Crust From: My Baking Addiction
Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
  
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter -- (1 1/2 sticks) at
• very cool room temperature, cut into
• 1-inch pieces, plus extra for greasing pan

The Filling
Ingredients:

• 4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
  
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup flour
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and line with one sheet parchment or wax paper. Dot paper with butter, then lay second sheet crosswise over it.
2. Pulse flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt in food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade. Add butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then pulse until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second bursts. (To do this by hand, mix flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl. Freeze butter and grate it on large holes of box grater into flour mixture. Toss butter pieces to coat. Rub pieces between your fingers for a minute, until flour turns pale yellow and coarse.) Sprinkle mixture into lined pan and press firmly with fingers into even, 1/4-inch layer over entire pan bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
3. 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.
4. Dust with Confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping

The day has finally come. The day when I have to blog about a dessert that I made that was sub-par. Unfortunately, as delicious as its name sounds, this dessert fell flat for me.

I had a bunch of apples that I wanted to use so I was looking for a good apple recipe. After reading numerous apple crisp, cobbler, and pie recipes I settled on this Caramel Apple Cheesecake Square recipe. The name just drew me in!

The cheesecake layer was good and the apple layer was good (though it probably could've been doubled... the apples sort of got lost), but the crust and the topping left a lot to be desired. The crust was soggy and didn't hold up to the layers very well. If you have a good crust recipe definitely use that instead. I would maybe use this recipe from the lemon bars I made this summer. And the topping just seemed a little too floury for me. I'm really surprised that it didn't turn out better because it had a lot of positive reviews. Oh well... at least I got a few pretty pictures!



Recipe: From FoodNetwork.com
Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Streusell topping, recipe follows
• 1/2 cup caramel topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping.

Streusel Topping

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

Cappuccino Brownies

I had a talk with myself the other day. I told myself that I was forbidden from making any more recipes that I found on the internet until I started using the (many) cookbooks that I have. I have a tendency to gravitate towards recipes I find on the internet because there are pretty pictures and people have reviewed them and offered their critiques. (Of course, this doesn't stop me from buying cookbooks; it just delays my using them.) Well, I'm glad I "forced" myself to start using my cookbooks because this one is a real winner! So let this post be a reminder to those of you with neglected cookbooks on your shelf...

I started flipping through the book "Bars & Squares" that I have and marking pages of the recipes I wanted to try. Before I knew it half the book was marked! I highly recommend this book. Everything I've ever made from here has come out amazing. I have no idea why it has been neglected for so long. I ultimately decided on the Cappuccino Brownies because it was a rainy day and they just seemed like a good rainy day snack.

You see that corner piece on top? That one is mine!

These are truly brilliant! The brownie itself it amazing. Very dense and chocolaty. The coffee flavored filling is something else all together. This stuff is dangerously addictive! It would make a great cupcake frosting or filling between layers of a cake. The bitterness of the espresso powder cuts the sweetness of all the sugar so the frosting isn't sickeningly sweet like some are. And the ganache on top... well it's chocolate ganache people... need I say more? Individually all the components of this brownie are amazing, but when you put them together it's divine!

This takes a little while to make because you have to let it cool between layers but overall it's pretty easy. Feel free to cut these into small pieces because it is very rich and a little bit goes a long way.

I took a few liberties with the recipe. The recipe below includes the changes I made. First off, I changed the brownie to be a little more like the "baked brownie" that I'm absolutely in love with. I added cocoa powder (in addition to the melted chocolate) and I used part white sugar and part brown sugar. And of course I upped the salt because I tend to do that with almost every dessert I make these days. For the filling I almost doubled the instant espresso powder that it called for because I wanted a stronger coffee taste. The coffee taste is definitely there but it isn't at all overpowering.

In my opinion these are best served cold from the fridge. The filling is little firmer and I think it just brings out the taste more. But then again, I'm the person who puts every candy bar in the freezer before I eat it so my opinion may be a little biased. I'm sure these will be good any way you eat them!

Recipe: Adapted from: Bars and Squares
Ingredients:
Brownie

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp instant espresso coffee powder
• 1 tbsp dark unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Frosting

• 2 1/2 tsp instant espresso coffee powder
• 1 - 2 tbsp milk or cream
• 2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

Glaze

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup whipping cream

Directions:

1. Brownie: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of an 8 x 8 square baking pan (or line with parchment paper).
   
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, espresso powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
   
3. Put the chocolate chips and butter in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, untill the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat but keep the bowl over the water and whisk in sugars and vanilla until completely combined. Remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature. Add in the eggs one, one at a time, whisking lightly after each addition.
   
4. Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just combined. Do not overbeat! Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 - 35 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on rack.
   
5. Frosting: In a bowl, combine espresso powder and 1 tbsp of milk or cream, stirring to dissolve. Add in butter and sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed to blend then on medium speed until creamy, adding more milk, if necessary to make a smooth, spreadable consistency. Spread evenly over the brownie. Chill to harden, about 1 hour.
6. Glaze: Put the chocolate chips and whipping cream in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Let cool to lukewarm. Spread over frosting. Chill until chocolate is set, about 1 hour. Cut into bars or squares.

Lemon Bars

It happened about a year ago. I made a life changing discovery. I discovered that I like lemon... no, I LOVE lemon. I have no logical explanation but for some reason I had always avoided lemon flavored desserts just assuming that I wouldn't like them. Then, I was visitng a friend in Virginia who claimed there was a bakery nearby that made "the best lemon bars". Realizing that I have never actually had a lemon bar I figured why not? I took one bite and I was hooked!

In the year to follow I couldn't get enough lemon. I had lemon ice cream, lemon cookies, lemon muffins, lemon tarts. You name it...if it was lemon, I wanted it! And I was happy to learn there are fellow bloggers out there that share the same obsession.

Since that day I, like many others, have been on a quest to find the recipe for the perfect lemon bars. And let me tell you, there are A LOT of recipes out there to try. To me, a perfect lemon bar is more tart than it is sweet. It should have a very lemony taste as soon as you bite into it, not just a hint of lemon behind all the sweetness. It should definitely have more lemon filling than it does crust; the 50:50 ratio is not for me. The crust should be buttery and have a firm bite to it. Not too soggy or not to hard. And it should be finished with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.

Following the advice I read at My Baking Addiction (a wonderful blog!), who followed the advice she got at The Repressed Pastry Chef (another amazing blog!), I decided to try the America's Test Kitchen recipe for the crust with Ina Garten's recipe for the filling. I can definitively say that my search is half over. The crust is perfect! It has the perfect bite to it. The filling is another story. I thought the flavor was great (although I decreased the sugar from 3 c. to 2 c.). It has the perfect amount of lemon flavor and sweetness, and I will not change the amount of lemon juice or sugar that I used. However, the texture was a little stiff to me. Perhaps next time (and yes, there will be a next time) I will try it with a little less flour or one less egg.

Recipe: Crust from America's Test Kicthen & Filling from Ina Garten

Ingredients
The Crust

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
  
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter -- (1 1/2 sticks) at
• very cool room temperature, cut into
• 1-inch pieces, plus extra for greasing pan

The Filling*

• 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 3 cups granulated sugar**
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup flour
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and line with one sheet parchment or wax paper. Dot paper with butter, then lay second sheet crosswise over it.
   
   
2. Pulse flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt in food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade. Add butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then pulse until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second bursts. Sprinkle mixture into lined pan and press firmly with fingers into even, 1/4-inch layer over entire pan bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
   

3. 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.

   Cut into squares and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Notes:
* According the America's Test Kitchen the filling needs to be poured onto a warm crust so the filling cooks evenly. There should be plenty of time to make filling while the crust chills and cooks, but be sure to plan ahead.

** I only used 2 c. of sugar and this was plenty sweet for me. I cannot imagine using the whole 3 cups!

Smores Bars

Cookies, good. S'mores, good. S'mores cookies, GENIUS! The concept is simple, but the results are outstanding! They taste better than smores in my opinion. For those of you who prefer the chewy cookie to the crispy cookie, this is for you. Imagine eating a smore, but instead of having a hard, crispy graham cracker on the bottom you have a chewy graham cracker flavored cookie! The bottom and top layers are basically a cookie dough with the addition of graham cracker crumbs. Hershey's bars and marshmallow creme/fluff (the kind you buy in a jar, NOT actual marshmallows) are sandwiched in between.

And while we're on the subject, lets talk about marshmallow fluff. What a mess! I had the hardest time getting the marshmallow creme to spread. I ended up with marshmallow webs extending from the spatula, to my fingers, to the sink. (If you have any tips, please send them my way). In the end I worked it out. And the verdict? Well worth it! These s'mores bars are sure to impress!

One more thing, these are best right out of the oven when the chocolate is still melty and gooey. They also reheat great in the microwave. Just zap 'em for about 10 - 15 seconds! Enjoy.



Recipe from: Lovin' From the Oven
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
• 1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
   
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.
   
3. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Makes 16 cookie bars.