Lemon Date Bars

Shortbread cookie meets, date square, meets zingy lemon curd square.

Ingredients:

Crust:

3/4 cup butter

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup icing sugar

1 tsp coarse salt

Date Filling:

8 oz dates

1 cup boiling water

Lemon Layer:

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp coarse salt

4 large eggs

1 tbsp lemon zest

3/4 cup lemon juice

icing sugar for dusting

Butter a 9 X 13" baking pan with parchment paper that is long enough to overhang a few inches. Butter the paper as well.

For the crust, whisk the flour, icing sugar and coarse salt together. Then add the butter using a pastry blender or your hands until it holds together. Press firmly into the bottom of the pan and freeze for 15 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.

Pour boiling water over the dates and let sit for 15 minutes, then drain and reserve the liquid. Using a food processor, whirl the dates with enough of the reserved liquid to form a spreadable paste (about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of liquid). Set aside until the crust is baked.

To prepare the lemon layer whisk the sugar, flour and coarse salt together, then add the eggs, zest and juice.

Spread date filling over baked crust and return to the oven for 4 minutes. Now reduce heat to 325°F, pour the lemon over the date filling and bake 20-25 minutes or until set.

Once baked cool on rack 20-30 minutes. Then using the parchment overhang, lift out of the pan to cool completely on rack before cutting into bars.

Ready to eat as is ...

or you can give them a little dusting of icing sugar.

Original recipe from MarthaStewartLiving.com