When life gives you lemons, make these zingy, delicious and super easy lemon bars.

Research shows that lemon-flavoured recipes are the most searched-for recipes on the internet.

It seems the combination of sweet and sour is irresistible in desserts, cakes and slices.

When my husband and I owned a farm many years ago, we had an orchard filled with all kinds of fruit and nut trees. But the most prolific was our lemon tree.

Now anybody who owns a lemon tree will know that the hunt for recipes that use the juice (and lots of it) as well as the zest is a real thing.

Lemon curd and cordial are always good contenders, and then of course, you can make a lemon tart, but let’s face it…whipping up a lemon tart is a bit of work.

And here’s why these lemon bars are so good. They use lots of juice and are like an easy unfussy simplified  version of a lemon tart.

And the taste??? Like little bars of zingy sunshine. 🌞

Growing not far from the lemon tree, we also had an amazing grapefruit tree that was, without a doubt the healthiest tree on our property. Each year it was loaded beyond measure with perfectly formed unblemished fruit.

Trouble was…we couldn’t find anyone to eat them except our pigs…and even they would leave them until last.

It was such a terrible shame. We would even drive around to our neighbours’ properties and leave bags of them dangling from their letterboxes in the hope that they could make use of them rather than them going to waste.

On a side note…have you ever watched a pig eat a grapefruit? Ours used to hold the fruit with one trotter to hold it in place while they scooped out the flesh inside. Mind you…there was no such etiquette on display if they were served left over whey from my cheesemaking classes…they literally used to snorkel that stuff up!!

Anyway…I digress! Let’s get back to the grapefruit.

In my pursuit of trying not to waste the grapefruit I tried lots of recipes. Mostly, adding them to jams and marmalades, but I decided to give them a go in a tart. I used my lemon tart recipe and just substituted the lemon juice for grapefruit.

And…to my utmost surprise, it was actually delicious. Even my hubby still talks about it.

So, to cut a long story short, if you have grapefruit on hand…try substituting them in this recipe…I’d love to know what you think.

💡Fun fact - One lemon has approximately 70% of your daily value of vitamin C, which helps boost your immune system. So really, you’re doing yourself a favour making these…am I right!!

💡Recipe Edit [1 Aug 2023] - When I intially published this recipe, some bakers experienced the topping seeping through the base. I have updated the recipe to help to avoid this. P.S. Make sure you let the base cool before you add the topping.  

Easy Lemon Bars

(Makes 20 bars)

Ingredients

Base

• 150g plain flour
• 45g icing sugar
• 90g almond meal or almond flour, or desiccated coconut
• 125g melted butter

 Filling

• 4 eggs
• 165g lemon juice
• 365g sugar
• 50g plain flour
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest

Equipment

• 26 x 16cm slice tin
• Baking paper
• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Metal spoon

 Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan forced.
2. Grease and line the slice tin with baking paper making sure the paper comes up past the sides of the tin so you have handles to remove the slice from the tin after baking. Don't cut the baking paper for this slice, fold the corners instead.
3. To make the base, place the flour, icing sugar, almond flour/meal or coconut and salt into a large mixing bowl then use a whisk to combine. 
4. Add the melted butter and mix thoroughly with a spoon until there is no visible flour.
5. Press the mixture evenly into the base of the slice tin firmly with the back of a spoon, smoothing the surface as you go. Make sure you firm it into the corners.
6. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until the edges are just starting to brown and the middle looks lightly golden and cooked through.
7. Leave the base to cool completely before adding the topping.
8. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 150°C / 130°C fan forced.
9. To make the filling, whisk all the ingredients together in the same large bowl you used for the base until smooth.
10. Place the bowl in the microwave for 1 minute then whisk briefly. Repeat this 2 more times, whisking between each time.
11. Continue to heat the mixture in the microwave in 30 second increments 2 more times, whisking well in between, until the mixture looks like a runny custard. If the mixture hasn't started to thicken microwave for another 30 seconds.
12. Pour over the cooled base and bake for 15 - 18 minutes or until it begins to brown just slightly around the very edge and is just set in the middle.
13. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin then chill in the fridge for an hour to firm up before dusting with icing sugar and slicing into bars.
14. Will keep for up to 5 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Variations: Change the juice and zest to orange, grapefruit, lime or mandarin.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, if you have any questions at all just let me know at [email protected]

Happy Baking!

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