Lemon Meringue Bars With Poppy Seed Crust Food

LEMON MERINGUE BARS WITH POPPY SEED CRUST

Steps:

• To make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish with foil, taking care to cover the corners as well. Lightly butter the foil.
• Whisk the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, cornstarch, lemon zest and salt together. Add the butter and mix until well combined. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes.
• Just before the crust is finished baking, prepare the filling: Combine sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Rub zest into sugar with your fingertips until well combined and fragrant. Add flour and salt. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks, followed by the lemon juice.
• When the crust is finished baking, turn the oven down to 300 degrees. Pour the filling over the hot crust and return the pan to the oven. Bake until filling is set, but just slightly wiggly in the center, about 23 to 25 more minutes. While the bars are baking, prepare the meringue.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites and cornstarch. Whip on medium-high speed until the mixture is foamy. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, and whip until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and salt and mix briefly to combine.
• When filling is set, remove pan from the oven and switch the oven to broil. Carefully spoon and spread the meringue over the hot bars, then set it under the broiler until the meringue is deep golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the heat of the broiler. Keep a close eye on the meringue during this process. It can go from perfectly golden to scorched in mere moments. Cool completely before slicing and serving.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Fold very long piece of aluminum foil in half lengthwise. Set in 13x9-inch baking pan, extending foil about 2 inches over edges. Line baking pan with additional foil.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl. Stir in melted butter until well combined. Press into prepared baking pan. Bake 20-22 minutes or until crust is light golden brown.
• Meanwhile, whisk 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in large saucepan. Whisk in 4 eggs and 6 egg yolks until well combined but not airy. Whisk in lemon zest and juice.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, 8-12 minutes or until mixture thickens and reaches 160°F. Remove from heat; stir in butter, 2 pieces at a time, allowing butter to melt before adding more. Strain filling through fine-mesh strainer set over bowl. Set bowl aside.
• Beat 6 egg whites and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar in bowl at low speed until foamy. Beat at high speed, gradually adding 3/4 cup sugar, 3-4 minutes or until stiff peaks form and mixture is glossy.
• Pour hot lemon filling into baked crust. Spread meringue over hot filling, completely sealing to edge of pan.
• Bake 18-22 minutes or until meringue reaches 160°F and is lightly browned.
• Cool 3-4 hours at room temperature. Remove from pan using foil ends for easier cutting and serving.

POPPY SEED-LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
• Combine butter and confectioners' sugar in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour, salt, and cardamom; mix until just combined. Stir in poppy seeds until evenly distributed. Press dough evenly into the prepared baking dish with floured hands.
• Bake crust in the preheated oven until edges are just starting to brown, about 18 minutes.
• While the crust is baking, combine sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add flour and stir until just combined.
• As soon as the crust comes out of the oven, pour the filling into it and return to the oven.
• Bake until filling is puffy and lightly browned around the edges, about 30 minutes. Place on a wire rack and cool completely before cutting into 16 squares. Dust lightly with confectioners sugar.

LEMON MERINGUE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Make crust: Put butter, flour, confectioners sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and the salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted withthe paddle attachment. Mix on mediumspeed until well blended.
• Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Press batter evenly into baking sheet. Chill in freezer 10 minutes. Bake until golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Make filling: Whisk together whole eggs, 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Pour over crust. Bake until filling is set, 18 to20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wirerack. Keep oven at 350.
• Make meringue topping: Put egg whites and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread meringue over filling, swirling to create soft peaks. Bake until meringue begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Cut into bars. Bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 1 day.

LEMON MERINGUE BARS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with foil leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Grease the foil and dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
• For the lemon bar crust: Pulse 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, butter, cornstarch and salt together in a food processor until a dough forms, about 1 minute. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden at the edges and pale golden in the center, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• For the lemon bar filling: Whisk together the eggs and egg yolks with the remaining 1 2/3 cups sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup flour in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in the lemon juice.
• Pour the filling over the warm crust and return to the oven. Bake until the filling is just set, about 30 minutes. Cool the bars, completely, on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for the meringue: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Whisk together the sugar, cream of tartar, salt and egg whites in a large bowl that sits comfortable in the saucepan without touching the water. Set the bowl above the boiling water and continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch (135 degrees F) and the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and beat on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until the whites hold soft peaks. Increase the speed to high and continue to beat until the meringue holds stiff, but spreadable peaks. Spread and swirl the meringue on top of the cooled lemon bars.
• Preheat the broiler to high. Set the lemon bars under the broiler until the meringue is evenly toasted and golden brown, about 30 seconds. (Alternatively, brown the meringue with a hand torch.) Cut into 24 squares and serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.

LEMON-POPPY SEED BARS

Steps:

• Make crust:
• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
• 2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed. Add the salt, sugar, and vanilla, and continue to beat until light but not fluffy. Lower the speed and add the flour. Mix until just combined.
• 3. Spread the dough into the bottom of an 8 by 8-inch pan, patting with your fingers and smoothing the top with an offset metal or rubber spatula if necessary.
• 4. Bake until light golden brown around the edges, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Do not turn off the oven.
• Make poppy seed layer:
• Place the poppy seeds, sugar and 1/4 cup cold water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Let boil for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and glossy. Add the butter and stir until incorporated. Remove from the heat immediately and spread the poppy seed mixture evenly over the baked cookie crust. Set aside.
• Make lemon filling:
• 1. Place 3/4 cup cold water and the cornstarch into a medium nonreactive saucepan and whisk to dissolve the cornstarch.
• 2. Add the sugar and egg yolks and whisk to combine. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil and let boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• 3. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and butter. Whisk until smooth. Pour the lemon filling evenly over the poppy seed layer.
• Make topping:
• 1. Using a handheld mixer or in a the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the eggwhites on medium-high speed. When the whites peak softly, slowly add the sugar. Continue whipping until firm (but not stiff) peaks are formed.
• 2. Fold in the cornstarch, and then the poppy seeds. Cover the lemon filling completely and dab the top to make attractive swirled points. Bake until the meringue browns, about 18 minutes. Cool and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Cut into 8 large bars.

THE BEST LOW FODMAP LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with parchment paper overhanging two sides and coat paper and inside of pan with nonstick spray; set aside.
• For the Crust: Whisk together the melted butter, sugar, salt and xanthan gum in a medium bowl. Stir in flour just until combined. Pat into prepared pan in an even layer.
• Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or very light brown all over.
• For the Filling: While the crust is baking, whisk together the sugar and flour in a clean bowl, then whisk in the lemon juice. Whisk in the eggs one at a time just until combined; do not overmix or you will create air bubbles that mar the surface of your finished bars. When the crust is done, turn the oven down to 325°F (165°C), pour filling over crust and bake for about 18 to 22 minutes or until set. The edges of the filling will look firm, but the center can still have a little jiggle and wiggle as it will continue to cook when you take it out of the oven due to retained heat of the pan. Cool pan on rack.
• Bars are easier to cut if chilled for at least an hour. To cut, first lift edges of parchment to bring the bars up and out of the pan. Peel paper down to expose sides of bars. Cut into 16 squares. Bars are ready to serve or store refrigerated in an airtight container in single layers for up to 4 days. You can also dust with confectioners' sugar right before serving; use a very fine-mesh strainer to apply.