Meyer Lemon Curd Bars

So what do you make with Meyer Lemon Curd?  Why Meyer Lemon Curd Bars, of course!

Meyer Lemon Curd Bars | Bakewell Junction

My hubby had been bugging me about the curd.  What are you going to do with the curd?  When are you going to do something with the curd?  And, so on.

I had seen recipes with lemon curd bars using a short bread crust and I have a shortbread recipe that I already like so, I paired that with the curd.  I loved the results.  The hubby still thought the curd was too tart.  I don’t really understand since he adds lemon juice to his fish – oh well.

On another note…  Has anyone had warmer weather lately?  Last week gave us the coldest day yet.  Tuesday started at -13 outside my house and -16 at the park and ride.  Yes, those are minus signs in front of those numbers.  I find that I always feel colder if it’s windy even if the wind chill isn’t as cold as those actual temp numbers above.  We’re getting another few inches of snow today but the weather man says it will be getting warmer this coming week, so hopefully there will be some melting.

Enjoy!

Meyer Lemon Curd Bars

Yield:  16 bars                  Cook Time:  17 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 tablespoons (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature or softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• dash salt
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup Meyer Lemon Curd (about 1/2 the recipe)
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Step 1:  In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and mix with an electric mixer.  Add vanilla to the butter mixture.  In another bowl, combine flour and salt.  Add flour mixture to the butter mixture.  Mix on low until dough begins to form.

Step 2:  Line an 8 by 8 inch baking pan with aluminum foil (some of the foil should overlap the rim; you’ll use it to remove the bars) and spray with cooking spray.  Transfer the dough into the baking pan and press evenly into the bottom of the pan.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 17 to 22 minutes.  The shortbread is done when it’s golden brown around the edges and lightly golden in the middle.

Step 3:  Remove the pan from the oven and let cool 10 minutes.  Use the aluminum foil to lift the bars out of the pan.  As the bars cool spread the Meyer Lemon Curd evenly across the shortbread.  Let cool completely.

Step 4:  Slice into 2 by 2 inch squares.  Sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.  Try not to eat them all at once.

Tips:  Keeps in a sealed plastic container for a week.

Enjoy!!!

Shortbread adapted from Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook recipe on Food Network.  A variation of Eli Zabar’s shortbread cookies.

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Meyer Lemon Curd

It’s Meyer Lemon season, so I thought it would be a great change for Valentine’s Day to have Meyer Lemon Curd instead of chocolate.  If you really need to have to have chocolate, fill a mason jar with red M&M’s or try one of my many chocolate recipes.

Meyer Lemon Curd | Bakewell Junction

Struffoli (Fried Italian Honey Balls)

Struffoli by Bakewell Junction

I have another recipe that you just gotta try.  This recipe is a Neapolitan favorite.  There are similar recipes in other regions of Italy but this is the best.  My husband’s family had a recipe but it just wasn’t quite right, so I was thrilled a few years ago when I found this one.  There are many similarities between this recipe and last week’s post but I always make both because I can’t make just one.

Since this recipe is a little finicky, here are a few detailed tips.

Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and set aside.

Cut in the butter.

Add the vanilla and the first two eggs.

Once combined, then repeat with the next two eggs and again with the last two eggs.

Knead dough for 5 minutes and form into a ball.

Place the dough on floured cutting board and lightly flour the top.

After the dough has rested, begin forming the balls by rolling the 1/2 inch strips and cutting into 1/2 inch balls.

A quarter of the dough formed into balls looks like this.

After 3/4 of the dough balls have have been formed, begin heating the oil to 375 degrees.  Fry the balls in batches.  To ensure the cookies cook evenly on all sides, I shake the basket to turn them.

Just to give you an idea of how much the little balls puff up.

Move drained fried balls to a large bowl lined with paper towels.

After all the cookies are fried, heat the honey in a medium sauce pan.

Add the cookies to a rubbermaid container and pour the warm honey over the cookies and turn them to coat.

Great for gifts in ziploc containers.

Struffoli

Yield:  too many to count                  Cook Time:  90 minutes

Cookies

• 1 cup sugar
• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or vegetable shortening
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs
• oil for deep frying (I use olive oil)
• 40 ounces honey or more to taste, slightly warmed

Decorations

• Non-pareils
• White candy coated almonds (Jordan Almonds)

Directions:

Step 1:  Combine sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl.  Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter until the butter is completely combined.  Mix in the vanilla.  Mix two eggs at a time.  The batter will look like a very thick cookie dough.

Step 2:  Knead the dough for 5 minutes.  Flour hands when the dough is sticky.  Form the dough into a ball and set the dough on a floured cutting board.  Dust the dough with flour, cover with a clean cloth and let it rest for at least 1/2 hour.

Step 3:  Divide the dough into quarters for easier handling.  Roll each quarter into 1/2 inch logs.  Cut into pieces that are about half of my pinky fingernail or 1/2 inch.  This will make a whole lot of little balls.  Be sure to keep them small as they will grow to 2.5 times the size as they cook.  Repeat with all the remaining dough.

Step 4:  When about 3/4 through forming the dough pieces, heat oil to 375 degrees in a sauce pan or a deep fryer.  I use a cast iron deep fryer with a basket.  Deep fry dough pieces about 2 to 3 dozen at a time depending on space until golden brown and cooked through (this works best if one person rolls the dough and another fries them).  Ensure the cookies are cooked on all sides evenly by shaking the basket to turn them or use a fork.  Place fried cookies in a large bowl lined with paper towels to drain.

Step 5:  Once all the cookies are fried and there is no more dough, transfer them to a large Rubbermaid container.  Heat honey in a sauce pan for at least 5 minutes on medium to high heat until it thins out and is quite warm.  Pour warm honey over fried cookies while they are still warm.  Stir cookies carefully (so they don’t get mashed) to ensure they are all covered with honey.

Step 6:  Place the cover on the container and flip the container upside down.  Repeat flipping the container every 30 minutes or so to ensure the cookies are well coated.  The cookies will soak up most of the honey as they are coated and recoated by flipping the container over and over.  Before serving sprinkle the cookies with hard candy colored balls (nonpareils) for decoration and add the candy coated almonds also.  Try not to eat them all.

Storing:  Store cookies in a sealed plastic container.  The cookies are fine for many days when stored this way.

Enjoy!!!

Recipe from Elodia Rigante’s Italian Immigrant Cooking cookbook.