Lemon Fun Facts
- First mentioned in literature in a 10th-century Arabic farming treatise, the lemon was also used as an ornamental plant in early Islamic gardens.
- The American continent was introduced to lemon cultivation by Christopher Columbus in 1493 when he brought lemon seeds to Hispaniola. After the Spanish conquest of the New World, lemon seeds spread throughout the region and were mainly used for ornamental purposes and medicine.
- Introducing lemon trees to Florida and California in the 18th and 19th centuries led to lemons being used in cooking and flavoring.
- Despite being rarely eaten raw, lemons are a favorite ingredient in sweet and savory dishes alike.
Tangy Lemon Bars
These tangy lemon bars are simple to make andare so delicious. The hardest part in making these is waiting long enough for them to cool before diving in. It might be a good idea to make two pans of these and save one for later.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1¼ cups Bisquick
- 5 tbsp brown sugar (packed)
- 8 tbsp butter (cold, cut into ½ inch pieces)
Filling
- 4 large eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cup powdered sugar (divided)
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- additional powdered sugar (for sprinkling on top)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a rectangle-shaped baking pan. (A 13x9 inch pan will do just fine.)
- To make the crust, mix one and one-quarter cups of Bisquick and five tablespoons of brown sugar until fully incorporated. (I prefer to use a food processor)
- Add eight tablespoons of cold butter to the Bisquick mixture, pulsing until the butter resembles tiny pea-sized pieces, and the dough appears crumbly.
- Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan using your hands and press down to create a packed surface.
- Place the pan into the center of the oven and bake for twenty minutes or until golden.
- To make the filling, beat four large eggs in a large bowl using an electric mixer until well blended. Add one-half teaspoon of vanilla extract and three-quarters of a cup of powdered sugar and mix well. Add three-quarters of a cup of lemon juice and the remaining three-quarters of a cup of powdered sugar. Continue mixing until the powdered sugar is dissolved and add two teaspoons of lemon zest.
- Remove the crust from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 300°F.
- Pour the lemon filling into the hot crust and bake for an additional thirty minutes.
- Cool the lemon bars completely before serving.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Lemon Strawberry Cream Cheese Bars
These lemon strawberry cream cheese bars makea perfect snack or summer dessert. If you are looking for something sweet but simple to enjoy, try these! You don’t even need a fork!
Ingredients
Crust
- ¾ cup Bisquick
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 6 tbsp butter (cold, cut into pieces)
Lemon Strawberry Cream Cheese Bar
- 2-8 ounce blocks cream cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (room temperature)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- ¾ cup strawberry preserve
- Lemon slices and sliced strawberries (for garnishing)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a square baking pan.
- Using a food processor, lightly pulse three-quarters of a cup of Bisquick, one-quarter cup of powdered sugar, and one-half teaspoon of lemon zest. Add six tablespoons of butter pieces and pulse until the mixture is crumbly.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for twenty minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool for at least ten minutes.
- With an electric mixer, beat together two packages of cream cheese, one-quarter of a cup of Greek yogurt, and one-half of a cup of granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in two large eggs and one large egg yolk until just blended. Mix in one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, two teaspoons of cornstarch, one-quarter of a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and two teaspoons of lemon zest. Beat well.
- Spread three-quarters of a cup of strawberry preserves over the cooled crust. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the preserves and spread evenly.
- Bake for an additional thirty minutes, or until the cheesecake appears set.
- Allow to cool for at least one hour and then cover and chill in the refrigerator for an additional four hours.
- Cut into bars and garnish with lemon and fresh strawberry slices.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Lemon Blueberry Pudding Bars
These bars are incredibly easy to make and are made with a sugar cookie crust. They taste amazing and are a great contrast to the silky lemon-blueberry pudding-like custard. Unlike pie, these bars are made with a sugar cookie crust. They are incredibly easy to make and taste amazing.
Ingredients
Lemon Sugar Cookie Crust
- 2¾ cups Bisquick
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 4 tbsp cream cheese (softened)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar (divided into 1¼ cups and ¼ cup)
- 1½ tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1 large egg
Filling
- 3 eggs (beaten)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup Bisquick
- 4 cups blueberries
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
Instructions
Lemon Sugar Cookie Crust
- In a medium-size bowl, sift two and three-quarter cups of Bisquick with one teaspoon of baking soda.
- In a large bowl, beat one cup of butter, four tablespoons of cream cheese, and one and one-quarter cups of sugar until creamy. Mix in one and one-half teaspoons of vanilla, two tablespoons of lemon juice, and the zest from one lemon. Beat in one large egg and mix until well incorporated.
- Slowly add the Bisquick mixture, mixing in a little at a time, until combined.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a square baking pan.
- Place the sugar cookie dough into the pan and press down until dispersed. Sprinkle the top of the dough with the remaining one-quarter cup of granulated sugar.
- Bake for ten minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and prepare the filling.
Filling
- Top the crust with four cups of blueberries.
- In a medium bowl, whisk three beaten eggs, one-quarter of a cup of granulated sugar, one cup of heavy cream, and two tablespoons of lemon zest until smooth. Pour over the blueberries.
- Bake for forty-five minutes. (The center of these bars might not look firm when you take them out of the oven. Don’t fret, that’s how they are supposed to look. As long as the filling appears to be pulling away from the edges, then you know it is done.)
- Allow to cool before serving.
- Store in the refrigerator.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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