And Now for Something Completely Different

After all the savory cooking we've been doing around here, I decided it was time to bake something sweet.  Kev gave me and Daphne a copy of Williams Sonoma Cooking Together - a cook book for parents and kids - for Christmas last year, so we looked through that and chose "Lemony Berry Bars."  The recipes in the book are very kid-friendly, and there was a lot Daphne could do.  She made the crust (above), helped make the lemon filling (below):

And spread the jam on the crust when it was done baking:

This was not our most successful cooking adventure.  I'm not sure why.  We followed the recipe exactly, except we had to use an 8x8 pan instead of 9x9...I don't have a 9x9.  How much difference could one inch make?  Apparently, quite a bit.  We had to cook it at least 20 minutes beyond what the recipe said, and the lemon part still didn't quite set. 

Oh well.  It wasn't very pretty, but it tasted good.

Actually, it was a little on the too sweet side for me, but Kev and Daphne liked it a lot.  I'd rather have a nice brownie.  Maybe next time.

The original recipe is below, but honestly you can probably find a better lemon bar recipe elsewhere on the internet.  Still, it was easy and fun to make with a kid, and if you like super sweet lemony desserts, this might be for you.  Just make sure you have a 9x9 pan.

Lemony Berry Bars
from Williams Sonoma "Cooking Together."

Ingredients: 

1/2 c. butter (1 stick), softened
1 c. plus 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 c. confectioners' sugar
1 Tbsp ice water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 raspberry or other berry jam
6 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 tsp baking powder

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x9" pan.

Crust:  Beat the butter with an electric mixer until creamy.  On low, add 1 cup flour, confectioners' sugar, ice water, and vanilla, and 1/2 tsp of the salt and beat just until the mixture forms a ball.  Scoop the dough into the prepared pan and press to form an even layer over the bottom of the pan.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes.  Bake the crust until golden and firm, about 15 minutes.  Let cool completely on rack.  Lower oven temperature to 325.

When the crust is cool, spread the jam evenly over it.

In a bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice,  the 4 Tbsp flour, baking powder, and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt.  Whisk until smooth.  Pour the egg mixture over the crust, spreading it with a spatula to form an even layer.  Return to the oven and bake until the top is set, 20-25 minutes.  Let cool completely on rack.  Cut into bars and serve.