Bliss: 2011 January

Good morning, Bliss readers! I’m so excited to be here today. I am Laurie Jesch-Kulseth, and I’ll be stopping in once a week to talk blissful eats. I am thrilled to have been asked by Mrs. French to guest blog here. She is one of my dearest friends, and we have known each other for years (nearly 20!). As you know, Mrs. French has impeccable taste and a keen sense for style. I am honored that she has entrusted her beautiful Bliss to me. I thank you, my friend. This is going to be fun.

Let’s talk food-I absolutely LOVE lemon bars! They are the perfect foil for the winter doldrums. Their color is magical, their flavor a creamy-citrus burst of sunshine. An exaggeration? Try them. While baking these bars, I wondered, “Now why don’t I make these more often?” They are simple, beautiful, and by far the best lemon bar I have ever eaten. Perhaps that is precisely why I don’t make them regularly- I can’t stop shoving them in my mouth! Seriously. I’m hoarding them right now. I’ve come up with several excuses over the last three days to not share them with neighbors. Ridiculous.

The bar itself is thick and firm. The texture is a luxuriant creaminess, backed by a nice flakey crust. That silky…mouthfeel, for lack of a better term, leads into an incredible citrus-y zing that just ‘pops’. They’re simple, incredible, and in just a few hours you too can be hoarding them away from friends and family. See you next week!

As with all good food, the quality of the ingredients matters. I try to use organic, locally-sourced, whenever possible, though I understand that may not always be practical. In this particular recipe, pay special attention to your eggs- free-range organic really makes a difference.

The recipe: Lemon Bars

For the crust:

1/2 pound unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

lemon layer:

6 extra-large eggs (at room temperature)

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4-6 lemons)

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup flour

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting.

Pre-heat oven to 350°F and liberally butter a 9×13 by 2 inch baking sheet.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Gather mixture and form a ball. Flatten dough and press into buttered pan with floured hands, building up a 1/2 edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the lemon layer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30-35 minutes, or about five minutes beyond the point where the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Notes: Don’t be alarmed when you pour the lemon mixture into the crust if it happens to over-flow. Its ok, pour it all in there! I prefer to eat these bars served cold -straight from the refrigerator.

Source:The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook via Smitten Kitchen with modifications.

Entries from January 2011

i heart monday.

January 31, 2011

not today…

January 29, 2011

blissful eats with laurie jesch-kulseth: Luscious Lemon Bars

January 27, 2011

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