Coconut Lemon Bars
Slightly tart, with a crisp crust and an intensely-flavoured filling, a lemon pie is one of the French’s most favourite desserts. Any bakery in France will have a “Tarte au Citron” to offer (with or without a meringue topping – although it seems French cooks tend to stay away from the fluffy-sugary topping lately). So when I opened my friend Marie’s new cookbook “Simply Citrus “ and spotted this Coconut Lemon Bars recipe – described as a delicious, dairy-free, exotic variation of the timeless classic – (and with no meringue topping!),…
- Prep time
- 1 hr
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- Crust
- 3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3⁄4 cup toasted unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1⁄3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1⁄4 cup melted coconut oil
- Filling
- 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemonzest (about 1 lemon)
- 3⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
- To serve
- Powdered sugar
- Toasted unsweetened shredded Coconut
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, letting it overhang on two sides (this will make it easier to pull the squares out later).
- 2
Crust - In a medium bowl, combine the flour, coconut, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir the oil into the flour mixture until fully incorporated. Place the dough into the prepared pan, and firmly press down all the way to the sides. Bake the crust until it just starts to brown around the edges, 15–20 minutes.
- 3
Filling - In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the lemon zest and juice; whisk until the mixture is completely smooth. Pour the filling over the hot crust. Bake until the filling is just set, 15–18 minutes. The filling should start to turn golden around the edges, and the center should be a bit jiggly (it will firm up as it cools). Let the squares cool completely to room temperature, and then refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting.
- 4
Just before serving, dust the bars with powdered sugar and garnish with coconut.