Is there anything more quintessentially Summer than both the visual and taste of a cold glass of lemonade? It’s one of my favorite treats to enjoy this time of year- especially in recent weeks while the temperatures continue soaring- so I knew I wanted to incorporate it into one of my recipes this month as we begin the Summer wind-down and prepare for more savory and warm dishes in the Fall.
And while lemon bars are an easy enough and fun dessert to whip up- making them “pink” lemonade bars by adding just a little bit of raspberry to the mix was too good to pass up. Prepped and baked in just under an hour- these are the perfect treat to add to any August get-togethers you have planned!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
16 SERVINGS:
FOR THE CRUST:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
FOR THE FILLING:
- 1 cup raspberries
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
1. MAKE THE CRUST: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt. Add the butter and stir to combine just until the dough comes together. (It will be very soft.)
3. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, and press it into an even layer, working the dough to the edge of the pan with your fingers. Transfer to the oven and bake until the edges are light golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool while you make the filling.
4. MAKE THE FILLING: In the bowl of a food processer, puree the raspberries until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve. (You should end up with about ⅓ cup.)
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs and lemon juice. Add 3 tablespoons of the raspberry puree and whisk to combine. Stir in the flour and a pinch of kosher salt.
6. Pour the filling over the cooled crust and return to the oven until the filling is set, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool before dusting with confectioners’ sugar and slicing into 16 squares.
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Tart, gooey and with a little bit of crunchy, crumbly goodness with every bite of the crust- these bars are a hit each and every time I make them- and I try to make a few batches around early-to-mid August every year!
And if raspberries aren’t your thing- I know a few people who aren’t particularly big fans of them, after all- you can achieve the same results by substituting pureed strawberries, too!
Now I’m going to go enjoy a couple of them while I wait for some thunderstorms to roll in!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 