Sigh…
My Mom was an expert Lemon Bar baker when I was a kid and OMG they were good.
But I still haven’t found a good grain-free recipe like Mom used to make (in all of it’s evil gluten glory).
So when Amy Ervin reached out to us from Nutty Bakery to share her Lemon Bar recipe… I instantly became 8 years old again. But then I saw it was made with dairy and nut flours (I’m still in the camp that doesn’t tolerate nut flours or dairy).
Sigh…
But Amy’s amazing… and when I replied back with my quandary, she sent another set of instructions for those that can’t tolerate dairy and nut flours.
YAY!
So I’m officially 8 years old again this holiday season… making Lemon Bars like the good old days. OMG, I can’t wait for you to try them. Thank you Amy!
Below you’ll find her original Lemon Bar recipe along with substitutions for those like me that can’t tolerate dairy or nut flours.
[Enter Amy]
This has to be one of the most versatile recipes in my collection. Don’t like lemon?…By all means, use something else. Top with some apples cooked up with honey, water and a dash of cinnamon. Try substituting some orange or lime juice for a different twist. The possibilities are only as endless as your fruit basket.
If I’m pressed for time, I sometimes even omit the crust! Just baking the filling gives a nice, tart pudding for dipping fresh fruit or drizzling over another dessert. And, I’ll admit…if a clean spoon is within reach, warm lemon pudding doesn’t last very long.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Almond Based Crust:
- 1 and 1/2 Cups Almond Flour
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoon Melted Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Note: If dairy intolerant, substitute for the butter with coconut oil. For those sensitive to almonds, an alternate coconut based crust can be made from the following:
Alternative Coconut Based Crust:
- 1/3 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour
- 1/4 Cup Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1/8 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
Additionally: If dairy intolerant, substitute for the butter with coconut oil. Also, coconut flour and almond flour are two VERY different animals when it comes to baking. You CANNOT substitute one for the other equally in any recipe. Coconut flour soaks up so much more moisture. Bake in the same fashion as the almond flour crust, though.
Lemon Topping:
- 1/4 Cup Melted Butter
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 3 Eggs
- 1/3 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
- 3 Tablespoons Water
Notes: If dairy intolerant, substitute for the butter with coconut oil.
For those who are sensitive to egg whites, use six egg yolks instead of whole eggs. You simply cannot omit eggs in the lemon portion of the recipe. Egg is the binder and thickening agent. If you must eat egg-free, then I would recommend going to a fruit compote as a topping.
Directions to Lemon Bar Heaven:
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease and dust, with almond flour, the bottom and sides of a 8 x 8 inch glass pan. I rarely bake almond flour with metal pans, especially the dark, nonstick ones. Almond flour burns very quickly in these darker pans. Nothing… absolutely nothing is appetizing about burnt almond flour.
In a small bowl, mix all your crust ingredients well. By hand, press into the bottom of your prepared glass pan. Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes.
While your crust is baking, mix the lemon topping ingredients well. You’ll need to use a hand mixer or blender to evenly mix in the eggs. Your lemon mixture will be very runny at this stage, as if it were water. Pour this over your warm crust and place back into the oven. Continue to bake at 325°F for another 20 minutes or until firm.
Cool on your counter for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting and serving. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
[Enter Jordan]
WOW. This will definitely be part of my holiday treats this year! A big thank you to Amy for sharing her yumminess 🙂
Let us know if you like these in the comments section and make sure you head over to Amy’s site, http://nuttybakery.com for more amazing recipes like this one.
– Jordan
When Should I Introduce Dairy?
