Blue Ridge Blackberry Lemon Bars Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with two 8-by-16-inch pieces of aluminum foil so the foil extends over all 4 sides.
• For the base: Pulse the flour, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor to combine (about 4 long pulses). Scatter bits of the chilled coconut oil across the top and pulse about 10 times to distribute the oil; the mixture will be dry and sandy. Sprinkle the cashew milk over the top and pulse about 6 times to form a homogenous and sticky dough, like a soft sugar cookie dough.
• Spoon chunks of the dough evenly across the prepared pan, then press it firmly but gently into the bottom, sides and corners, wetting your hands slightly with cool water to keep the dough from sticking to them. Poke 12 or so holes across the dough with a fork.
• Bake until the edges of the dough are light golden brown and the top is dry, about 30 minutes. About halfway through, it may puff away from the pan in spots; poke those spots with a fork or carefully press back down with your hand. Continue to bake, checking once or twice more and repeating as needed. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and set aside.
• For the topping: Whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, flour, lemon zest and turmeric in a small saucepan. (The color won't turn bright yellow right away, so don't be tempted to add more turmeric.) Whisk in the cashew milk and lemon juice.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, about 5 to 6 minutes. Once it comes to a boil, continue to boil and whisk for 2 minutes more. The bubbles will get slower and pop bigger as the mixture thickens; you can reduce the heat to a strong simmer if you are concerned a bubble might burst and burn your hand.
• Remove from the heat, add the coconut oil and whisk until melted and thoroughly incorporated. Scrape the mixture over the baked base and spread to the sides of the pan in an even layer. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.
• When the bars are ready, lift the foil from the pan using the overhangs, then slide the base onto a cutting board. Let the bars come to room temperature, about 1 hour or more, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
• Slice into sixteen 2-inch squares or thirty-two 1-by-2-inch bars (they are very rich, so you may prefer the smaller size). Dust the tops with confectioners' sugar before serving (see Cook's Note). The bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl toss together oats, flour, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest and salt until well blended.
• Sprinkle mixture with lemon juice, then with a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter pieces until mixture is crumbly.
• Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Reserve 2 cups of the oat mixture, then sprinkle remainder in pan, pressing with fingers to form a crust.
• Bake for about 10 minutes, or until set. Let cool slightly, then spread blackberry jam evenly over crust.
• Sprinkle evenly with reserved oat mixture, pressing down gently.
• Return to oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 13- x 9-inch pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.
• Pulse 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1 cup butter in a food processor 5 to 6 times or until mixture is crumbly. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.
• Bake at 350° on an oven rack one-third up from bottom of oven 25 minutes or just until golden brown.
• Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl until blended.
• Combine baking powder, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup flour; whisk into egg mixture until blended. Pour lemon mixture into prepared crust.
• Pulse 2 cups blackberries and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a food processor 3 to 4 times or until blended. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, gently pressing blackberry mixture with back of a spoon; discard solids.
• Drizzle over lemon mixture in pan.
• Bake at 350° on middle oven rack 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes.
• Lift from pan onto wire rack, using foil sides as handles, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool. Remove foil, and cut into 24 (2-inch) squares; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish, if desired.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees and line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper so it hangs over the edges on all sides by a few inches. (You may need to use two pieces of parchment.)
• Make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse to combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and salt. Add butter and pulse until a crumbly dough forms, about 10 seconds. (Or mix dry ingredients in a bowl and use pastry cutter to cut in butter, clumping the mixture together in your hands until it holds together.) Press dough into prepared pan. Bake until light golden, 25 to 35 minutes.
• As crust bakes, make the curd: In a medium pot, whisk together the granulated sugar, lemon juice, egg yolks, whole eggs, cornstarch and fine sea salt until well combined. Place over medium heat and stir with a heatproof rubber spatula (or wooden spoon), making sure to scrape around the sides and edges of the pot, until mixture is simmering and thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Bring mixture to a boil and let cook for about 30 seconds, but no longer than 1 minute. Immediately strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in butter, lemon zest and lime zest, and stir until butter melts. Stir in blueberries.
• Pour mixture over crust, then stir to evenly distribute berries. Return to oven, and bake until blueberries begin to burst and curd starts to turn golden around the edges, 33 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator until thoroughly cold before cutting, at least 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar right before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F Spray a 13 x 9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment or foil leaving a 3 inch overhang on each short end of the pan, and spray the lining with more cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl combine flour, confectioners' sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt. Cut 10 tbls butter into small pieces and cut into the flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Pour mixture into the prepared pan and pat lightly to create an even layer. Bake until crust is light golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven and reduce heat to 350°F.
• While the crust bakes place granulated sugar and lemon zest into a medium saucepan and rub zest into the sugar with a spoon until sugar is moistened.
• Add the lemon juice, eggs and yolks, remaining 2 tbls butter, and 1/4 tsp salt and place the pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and registers 155F to 160F on a thermometer.
• Off heat stir in the vanilla and cream. Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Discard remaining solids and immediately scrape the lemon mixture onto the warm crust, spreading evenly.
• Bake the bars until the very center of the filling barely jiggles when you shake the pan, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven.
• While the lemon bars bake heat the jelly in a small saucepan set over medium heat until it is warm and fluid. Off heat add the berries and gently fold until coated and shiny.
• Spoon the berry mixture over the lemon bars and transfer the dish to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Serve once the bars are cooled, or cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bars can be made 2 days in advance.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl toss together oats, flour, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest and salt until well blended.
• Sprinkle mixture with lemon juice, then with a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter pieces until mixture is crumbly.
• Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Reserve 2 cups of the oat mixture, then sprinkle remainder in pan, pressing with fingers to form a crust.
• Bake for about 10 minutes, or until set. Let cool slightly, then spread blackberry jam evenly over crust.
• Sprinkle evenly with reserved oat mixture, pressing down gently.
• Return to oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.