Recipes of Bars Pastries

Lemon Bars

Ingredients :

- 250 grams all purpose (plain) flour, plus extra for dusting

- 1 tablespoon baking powder

- Scant 100 grams cold butter

- 75 grams sugar

- 1 egg

For the filling :

- 6 tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour)

- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

- 8 tablespoons sugar

- 800 ml milk

- 4 eggs

- Grated zest of 1 lemon

- Large pinch of saffron

- 150 grams confectioners' (icing) sugar

Method :

* To make the pastry, sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add the butter in a small pieces, the sugar and egg, and quickly work into the flour to form a dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap (clingfilm) and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

* To make filling, mix the cornstarch , vanilla extract and sugar with a little of the milk until smooth. Pour the remaining milk into a saucepan, bring to the boil and then stir in the cornstarch mixture. Return to the boil, stirring all the time. Leave to cool slightly.

* Preheat the oven to 180'C. Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface and use to line a 38 X 25 X 2 cm baking pan (tin). Prick several times with a fork.

* Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, separate the eggs. Stir the egg yolks into the filling mixture with the lemon zest and saffron. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture.

* Spread  the lemon filling on the pastry and bake in the oven for a further 30-40 minutes. Leave to cool completely, preferably overnight.

* Before serving, dust thickly with confectioners' (icing) sugar and cut into pieces.