Delicious Peter Pan Lemon Bars

Katia Kiss
14 de out. de 2016
3 min de leitura

This is Enjoy the Traffic’s new post for our food-and-art blog project. This time we have been inspired by Peter Pan, the famous character created by Scottish novelist J.M. Barrie.

Peter Pan is a free spirited, mischievous young boy who flies and never grows up. He spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys.

Delicious Peter Pan Lemon Bars - by Enjoy the Traffic

Peter Pan was the main character of J.M. Barrie stage play “Peter Pan, or The boy who wouldn’t grow up.” Barrie later adapted the play as a novel Peter Pan and Wendy. Peter Pan teaches the Darling children to fly using a combination of “lovely wonderful thoughts” and fairy dust. The author attributes the idea of fairy dust being necessary for flight to practical needs:

“… after the first production I had to add something to the play at the request of parents (who thus showed that they thought me the responsible person) about no one being able to fly until the fairy dust had been blown on him, so many children having gone home and tried it from their beds and needed surgical attention.” - J. M. Barrie

Delicious Peter Pan Lemon Bars - by Enjoy the Traffic

To celebrate Peter Pan we though about a recipe that can bring us back to our childhood memories; especially memories of our childhood during summer, when we didn’t have to go to school and could play the whole day. For those special days nothing better than this childhood favorite lemon bar. The lemon bars’ balance of tangy sweetness is sure to take you straight to your backyard. Don’t forget the pixie dust… To Peter Pan and the adults who never grown up! Enjoy!

Delicious Peter Pan Lemon Bars

Ingredientes for the crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

8 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Ingredientes for the curd:

4 to 6 lemons

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs plus 3 yolks

2 tsp cornstarch

Pinch of fine sea salt

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

confectioners’ sugar

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees and line a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with enough parchment to hang over two of the sides (this will help you later to lift the bars out of the pan).

2. To make the shortbread base, pulse together the flour, granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor, or whisk together in a large bowl. Add butter and pulse until a crumbly dough forms. Press dough into prepared pan and bake until shortbread is pale golden all over, 30 to 35 minutes.

3. While the shortbread is baking, prepare the lemon curd: Grate 1/2 tablespoon zest from lemons and set aside. Squeeze lemons to yield 3/4 cup juice.

4. In a small saucepan, whisk together lemon juice, sugar, eggs and yolks, cornstarch and fine sea salt over medium heat until boiling and thickened, 2 to 5 minutes. Make sure mixture comes to a boil or the cornstarch won’t activate. But once it boils do not cook for longer than 1 minute or you risk the curd thinning out again. Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Whisk in butter, olive oil and lemon zest.

5. When the shortbread is ready, take it out of the oven and carefully pour the lemon curd onto the shortbread base; return the pan to the oven. Bake until topping is just set, 15 to 20 minutes more. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold before cutting into bars. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and flaky sea salt right before serving. Keep in the fridge until serving time.