strawberry lemon bars

while there's no doubt i am a lover of berries through and through, there are very few berry and fruit combinations that i really like. strawberry + lemon is one of them. it doesn't hurt that jason loves lemon desserts. which is shocking, since he mentions often that he doesn't "like dessert." yes, really. which is actually good for me, since his lack of a sweet tooth often limits how much i bake. my pants are thankful.

these are classic lemon bars - perfectly tart and sweet - spiked with fresh strawberry juice, another great use for super ripe berries that may not look quite as pretty as their less ripe counterparts. got a favorite sweet tart crust? fill it with this strawberry lemon filling for a grown up version of the bars.

strawberry lemon bars
adapted from baking bites
1 hour, makes 24 bars

the crust to filling ratio for us was a little low - the filling is perfectly sweet-tart and it needs the cookie crust to balance it out a bit. next time i will make one and a half or double the crust. [curious about a thicker crust? check out leanne's version with one and a half times the crust and an AP/wheat flour blend!]

for the crust:

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

for the filling:

1 cup fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 cup pureed strawberries (about 3/4 cup berries)
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. preheat your oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. set aside.
2. make the crust by creaming the sugar and butter together in a bowl. with the mixture on low, gradually beat in flour and salt until crumbly. dump the mixture into the pan and press into the bottom in an even layer. bake for about 17 minutes, until the edges are set and the top is starting to brown.
3. prepare the filling while the crust bakes. in the bowl of a food processor, combine the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and eggs. pulse until smooth. add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and process until smooth.
4. when the crust has finished baking, pour the filling immediately over the crust (no need for it to cool). bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until the filling is set.
5. cool completely before slicing and store in the refrigerator.

check out more sweet treats at sweet tooth friday!