Lemon Bars

We have been trying out some paleo treats and found this recipe for lemon bars. My husband loved it. It has a very strong lemon flavor (he loves water with a squeeze of lemon juice plus other kinds of citrus flavored foods, which I do not.) I think I might like it better if some coconut was mixed into the filling. Something to try in the future.

http://popularpaleo.com/2013/07/08/lemon-bars/

Ingredients:
CRUST
1 cup almonds
1 cup pecans
1/4 cup medjool dates (about 6 of the regular size)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 egg

FILLING
the juice from 4 large lemons (approx. 3/4 cup)
1 tsp lemon zest
8 eggs
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raw honey
1 TBSP arrowroot flour or tapioca flour + 1/2 TBSP of hot water

Prep:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (Fahrenheit).
Make the crust first by dumping all of the ingredients, except for the egg, into a food processor. Let this go until it gets to a “pebbly-sand” texture—well before it turns into butter. Then add the egg and process again just until the egg is fully incorporated and the nuts break down into “coarse sand.”

Press the crust batter evenly into the bottom of an ungreased baking dish and set aside,  9 x 9 or an 8 x 8 for a thicker crust.

For the filling, combine all of the ingredients using an electric mixer or by hand with a whisk except for the last line item—the arrowroot and water.  Once the lemons, eggs and other stuff is mixed up, make a slurry using the 1/2 TBSP of hot water and tablespoon of flour. Mix the slurry into the batter and gently pour over the pressed nut crust waiting in the baking dish.

Bake this for 30 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Don’t worry if it gets a little crackly once it’s done cooking. I haven’t met a Paleo lemon bar that doesn’t do this.

As tough as it is, this needs to be cooled completely before eating. Do your best!