Meyer Lemon Loves

Happy Easter!

Lemon always seems to be such a spring flavor and color, doesn't it? I thought these bars would be a perfect Easter post. Lemon bar recipes abound but I normally stick with two basics. One is the triple layered version my kids adore that's been around for ages...it has coconut and nuts in it and I remember making it the first cooking class I ever took (a gazillion years ago). Frankly, I'm astounded I've never posted it, but then it's a pretty common recipe. We made an unusual chocolate bar in that class as well, which was one of my first blog posts. When he comes to visit, one of my sons insists the freezer contain bags of each...the coconut/nut bars with lemon glaze and the chocolate bars.

Anyway...back to my second lemon bar of choice, which is the recipe for this post. I'm quite certain it came from the Boston Junior League Cookbook, long missing from my shelf. They were called Lemon Loves and now that I make them with some Meyer lemons, I altered the name just a bit. Meyer lemons are sweeter and more floral than regular lemons so I used half Meyer lemon juice and half regular so that perky, tart flavor is still there. Then I took a closeup of the bar because I wanted you to see this is not your usual lemon bar. It's more like a lemon pie bar. If you're a lemon addict like my sister, you're gonna love these.

Meyer Lemon Loves

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
4 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 Tablespoons lemon juice (half Meyer lemon, half regular)
1 lemon, rind only (regular lemon)
pinch salt

Method:
Blend flour, butter and powdered sugar. Press into a well greased and floured 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Watch closely. Beat eggs until frothy. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour onto the crust and bake 20 to 25 minutes more at 350. Dust with powdered sugar, cut into squares (if you don't do it before refrigerating, they're difficult to cut; I'd forgotten, hence the irregularity of my squares below) and then refrigerate.

This charming video was emailed to me by my friend Janie...let's hope spring arrives soon for you in the north.