{Lemon Bars}

It's times like these when I am paying a fortune for lemons that I wish I had my own bloody tree.  I am thinking a wine barrel and a lemon tree could be on my letter to santa this year.  I actually get massive lemon tree envy walking around our neighbourhood and will be the first to grab any that are within reach on overhanging branches down the bluestone lane ways that litter our suburb.  I'm happy to clumsily jump to retrieve a sad specimen on an evening wander round the streets or perhaps you've witnessed the exaggerated lean over the fence on the morning school run. It would be so much easier to just have my own tree although now that I am thinking about my lemony adventures not as much fun. Oh and the lemon bars are good, sticky and zesty and perfect for a friend in need.


...base
250g butter
125g caster sugar
250g plain flour
pinch of sea salt

...topping
2 eggs
250g caster sugar
2 tbsp flour
pinch of sea salt
2 lemons, juiced and zested
icing sugar to dust

Preheat oven to 160(140 fan forced). Line a rectangular or square baking tin with baking paper this makes life easy when it comes to slice time.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale. Add the flour and salt and mix to a smooth dough. Press the dough into the base of the tin and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked and golden, cool for a bit while you make the topping.

Beat the eggs and sugar until foamy. Mix in the flour, salt, lemon juice and zest. Pour the mixture over the cooled base.

Bake for a further 25-30 minutes until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and leave in the tin to cool.

Sift icing sugar over the top and cut into squares (use a hot knife to get through the sticky slice cleanly).