Let Me Love You With Food

Here's a quick recipe post, at Ice Cream's request. These are absolutely delicious and melt in your mouth. They are essentially a lemon bar with raspberries added, but having a good recipe that gets the shortbread and the custardy filling right is essential. Just don't blame me if you are up a pound or two after eating these hand over fist (Ice Cream, I'm sure that your doctor would approve, since she's soooo nice.)

After tasting these this weekend, Jared's assistant, Alex, suggested that I leave Jared and she and I run away together! I thought it might be easier to share the recipe.

Deluxe Raspberry Lemon Bars

• 1 cup butter
• ½ c. sifted powdered sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 ½ cups raspberries
• 4 beaten eggs
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel (I like twice that much. I love zest!)
• 1/3 cup lemon juice (use freshly squeezed unless you are desperate. It will only take one or two large lemons, and it's worth it.)
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• sifted powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. In large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 30 seconds. Add the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Beat in the 2 c. flour until crumbly. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13x2 inch pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, beat together eggs, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Combine the flour and baking powder and stir into the egg mixture, along with the shredded lemon peel. When crust has baked, sprinkle raspberries over the crust, then pour filling over the top. Arrange berries with a spoon, if needed, to spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes more, until set.

Sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar.

(For big events, I double the recipe and make it in a large jelly roll pan.)