Lemon or Lime Bars

Lemon or Lime Bars 

Crust:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 sticks butter
• ½ cup powdered sugar 

Filling:

• 4 eggs
• 4 Tablespoons lemon juice (or lime juice with a few drops of food coloring)
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 Tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

1. Melt butter in 13 x 9 pan.  Mix 2 cups flour and powdered sugar.  Pour into pan and stir into butter.  Press down firmly.
2.  
3. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Beat together eggs and lemon juice. Stir in  sugar, baking powder, and 4 tablespoons flour.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Sift powdered sugar on top while still hot.

 

Cherry Bars

Bottom Crust

• 2 sticks butter
• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup powdered sugar

1. Melt butter in a 9 x 13” baking dish in oven at 350 degrees.
2. Stir in powdered sugar.
3. Stir in the flour.
4. Pat down and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
5. Remove from oven. 

Middle Layer Filling

• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Stir lemon juice into cherry pie filling.
2. Pour onto the bottom crust and spread evenly. 

Crumb Topping

• 6 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flour

1. Cut butter into chunks with a pastry blender.
2. Stir the sugar and salt together.
3. Cut all the dry ingredients into the butter, making crumbs. 
4. Distribute over the cherry layer evenly. 
5. Return the layers to the 350 degree oven and bake for 35 minutes.

Salted Caramel Bars

For the crust:

• 1 pound salted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 4 cups all purpose flour

For the filling:

• 1 bag (14 oz.) caramel candies (about 50 caramels), unwrapped
• 1/3 cup milk or cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon course sea salt

Addition to the top crust:

• 1/3 cup sugar

To make the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugars by using a mixer until creamy. Add the vanilla, and beat a little bit longer.
3. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat until a soft dough forms, but don't overbeat.
4. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray.
5. Press a third of the dough to cover the pan and try to make the layer as even as possible.
6. Bake the crust until the edges are a pale brown. This takes approximately 25 minutes.
7. Store the rest of the dough in the refrigerator.

To make the filling layer:

1. Using a microwavable bowl, place the caramels and cream in it.
2. Microwave on high for 1 minute.
3. Remove from the microwave and stir.
4. If the caramels are not completely melted, repeat the stirring and heating for 30 seconds at time.
5. When smooth, add the ½ teaspoon of vanilla and stir.
6. Pour over the bottom crust, spreading until it is evenly covered.
7. Sprinkle the teaspoon of sea salt over the top of the filling.

To make the top layer:

1. Crumble the remaining dough over the filling layer.
2. Sprinkle the dough with 1/3 cup of sugar.
3. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filing is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven.
5. Let cool before cutting into squares.

Enjoy.