Preheat oven 350 degrees. Line an 11x8-in. baking dish with parchment paper, extending paper over all edges of baking dish. Spray with cooking spray; set aside.
Recipe
Primary Media
Description
Create a contemporary twist to traditional lemon bars by adding Cara Cara orange zest and juice to the citrus filling and topping the bars with a sweet citrus-coconut mixture.
Servings and Ingredients
Ingredients
Quantity | Ingredient | Add |
---|---|---|
1 ½ c. Hy-Vee all-purpose flour, divided | ||
1 c. Hy-Vee powdered sugar, plus additional for garnish | ||
¼ c. Hy-Vee pecan halves | ||
¼ tsp. Hy-Vee salt, divided | ||
8 tbsp. cold Hy-Vee unsalted butter, cut into 1 Tbsp. pieces | ||
2 c. Hy-Vee granulated sugar | ||
1 ½ tbsp. plus 1 tsp. lemon zest | ||
1 ½ tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Cara Cara orange zest | ||
3 tbsp. Hy-Vee corn starch | ||
6 Hy-Vee large eggs, lightly beaten | ||
¼ c. fresh lemon juice | ||
¼ c. fresh Cara Cara orange juice | ||
¾ c. Hy-Vee sweetened coconut flakes | ||
2 tsp. meringue powder | ||
1 tbsp. water |
Things To Grab
- 11x8-in. baking dish
- Parchment paper
- Hy-Vee vegetable oil cooking spray
- Food processor
- Bottom of a glass or measuring cup
- Large bowl
- Fork
- 2 small bowls
- Silicone pastry brush
- Sharp knife
- Large airtight container
Directions
Place 1 cup flour, 1 cup powdered sugar, pecans and 1/8 tsp. salt in a food processor. Cover and pulse until pecans are finely chopped. Add butter, 1 Tbsp. at a time, pulsing after each addition. Continue pulsing for 1 minute more or until pieces are pea size.
Firmly press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom of prepared baking dish. If necessary, use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to firmly press down. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes or until firm to the touch; cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
During the last 5 minutes while crust is cooling, for filling, place granulated sugar, 1½ Tbsp. lemon zest and 1½ Tbsp. orange zest in a large bowl. Gently message by rubbing between your fingertips or with the back of a fork against the bowl until fragrant and mixture turns yellow. Stir in remaining ½ cup flour, corn starch and remaining 1/8 tsp. salt with fork until combined. Stir in eggs, and lemon and orange juices just until combined.
Pour filling over crust; bake for 35 to 38 minutes or until filling is set and no longer jiggles. Meanwhile, for topping, stir together coconut and remaining 1 tsp. each lemon and orange zests in a small bowl; set aside. Stir together meringue powder and water in another small bowl; set aside.
Remove bars from oven. Measure 1½ in. from an 8-in. side of baking dish; then brush an 8x2-in. strip on top of bars with meringue mixture. Repeat on opposite side of baking dish. Top meringue strips with coconut mixture. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until coconut mixture is set.
Cool bars in baking dish at room temperature for 1 hour. Then refrigerate until cooled completely.
To serve, use paper edges to lift bars from baking dish. Trim ¼ in. off each of the four edges. Cut bars into 4 (7½-in.-long) strips. Then cut each strip into thirds to make 12 bars. Dust the half of each bar without coconut topping with additional powdered sugar. Store, in a single layer, in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days, if desired.
Nutrition facts
Servings
Amounts Per Serving
- Total Fat: 14g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
- Sodium: 100mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 63g
- Protein: 5g