From Daryl:
I'm sharing a delicious lemon bar recipe below!! So don't miss it. But first...two announcements.
One:
My new suspense FAN MAIL comes out next week. To celebrate, I'm giving away a CHOICE OF MY PUBLISHED BOOKS plus a tote bag to one commenter IF commenter mentions this book to someone. In the comments, you have to tell me WHO...
By the way, the e-book of FAN MAIL is still available at a discount if you preorder.
Two:
I just got back from Bouchercon, a writers' conference in Dallas, TX. Had a great time, but I'm exhausted. Saw lots of friends, fans, librarians, and more. I've shared a bunch of photos on my Facebook author page, but here are a few.
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| Former MLK'er Jenn McKinlay (left), me, and Lucy |
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| Former MLK'er Julie Hyzy and me |
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| One of my best writing buddies, in my Plothatchers group |
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| Terrific bookstore guys from Murder by the Book |
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| One of my favorite reviewers, Leslie Storey, Storeybook Reviews |
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| With my darling pal Hannah Dennison who has moved back to England! |
And, now, here something that is SO DELICIOUS.
I saw this on Sally’s Baking Addiction, from her cookbook, but I tweaked it to be gluten-free.
Lemon Bars (with my
gluten-free tweak)
Per Sally, you only need 7 ingredients to make these lemon
bars. For Gluten-free, you need 9
(including xanthan gum and an addition of cornstarch for the lemon curd).
The lemon curd filling is extra thick and creamy and sits on
an irresistible butter shortbread crust.
Note from Sally:
Always bake lemon bars at a lower temperature to avoid over-baking. Perfect for picnics, bake sales, baby
showers, and bridal showers.
I was amazed how perfectly the lemon curd turned out. It was thick and luscious.
Butter: melted
butter is the base of the shortbread crust.
Sugar: do not reduce or the filling will be too wet.
Flour: if you
make using Sally’s recipe, this gives structure. I make it using gluten-free
items and they worked beautifully.
Vanilla extract: Sally says not all lemon bar recipes call for
vanilla extract, but it’s her best kept secret.
Salt: without the
salt, the crust would be too sweet.
Eggs: Eggs are the structure for the curd. Without
them, you will have soup.
2 tricks:
Use a glass pan: Do not use metal. It will seep into the lemony taste.
Lemon juice: No matter what, you must use real lemons. I
have a cheap Black and Decker lemon squeezer that worked wonders.
Tip: If you notice air bubbles on top of your baked lemon bars,
don’t fret. It’s normal. It’s from the air in the eggs rising to the surface.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar and it will cover them right up.
BIG NOTE:
I halved the recipe and it was plenty.
Made a 9 x 9 batch. Also, I did use a
metal pan but the parchment paper I used as a liner kept any metallic flavor from seeping in.
FOR THE Shortbread
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
FILLING
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour + 1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2 – 3 lemons)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Either use a glass pan or line the bottom and sides
of a 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift
the finished bars out. This makes
cutting easier. Set aside.
Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter,
sugar, vanilla, and salt together. Add
the gluten-free flour and xanthan gum and stir to completely combine. It will be thick. Press firmly and evenly into prepared pan.
Pre-bake the crust so it will hold up under the lemon
layer. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until
the edges are very lightly browned.
Make the filling: Sift the sugar and flour together in a large
bowl. Sifting helps! Add the eggs and
lemon juice and whisk until combined.
Pour filling over warm crust. Bake the bars for 20-22 minutes or until the
center is relatively set and no longer jiggles.
Remove bars from oven and cool completely for about 2 hours at room
temperature. Then stick in the
refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until chilled.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Freezing: Yes, they may be frozen. For up to 3-4 months. Cut the cooled bars, without confectioners’
sugar topping, into squares. Place on a
baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour.
Individually wrap each bar in plastic wrap and place in a large bag or
freezer container to freeze. Thaw in the
refrigerator and then dust with confectioners’ sugar.
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| These holes are normal!! |
Giveaway
Leave a comment and tell me who you TOLD about Fan Mail
(sister, mother, friend, librarian, bookseller??)
(sister, mother, friend, librarian, bookseller??)
and you'll be entered to win a copy of
YOUR CHOICE OF MY PUBLISHED BOOKS,
YOUR CHOICE OF MY PUBLISHED BOOKS,
plus a Savor the Mystery tote bag.
Winner picked Friday. Leave your email so I can contact you if you win.
SAVOR THE MYSTERY!
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