Pink Lemonade Bars

I didn't wear a jacket to work yesterday. I planted my vegetable garden. My bedroom window has been open for a week. Ladies and Gentleman...I think it's spring. And what tastes more like spring than a big glass of lemonade? A big glass of pink lemonade. 

I spotted a version of these pink lemonade bars in Family Circle magazine, and I knew I would be making them soon. A rich crumb topping sandwiching a sweet, raspberry-lemon center. Right up my alley. Of course since I can never simply follow directions, I combined this recipe with one from America's Test Kitchen and changed a few more things. And I was not disappointed. 

These are a substantial bar, packed with flavor and summeriness and pink! I'll definitely be bookmarking these to make again...and hunting down the couple that remain somewhere in the house. 


Tip of the Day: Seems intuitive, but make sure to always zest your lemons before you juice them - I'm forgetful enough to have done the opposite!

Recipe: (adapted from Family Circle magazine and America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book) 

2 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 ½ cups sugar

¼ cup flour

5 eggs

½ cup raspberry or strawberry jam

½ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

Zest of 2 lemon

Mix the flour, sugar and salt together. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or food processor until evenly distributed. Reserving a cup and a half of the mixture, press the remaining in to a foil-lined 9x13" pan. 

Bake on 350 F for 20 minutes. 

Mix the oats and brown sugar in to the reserved crumb mixture and set aside. 

Stir together the flour and sugar, the whisk in the eggs until smooth. Add in the jam, lemon juice and lemon zest and continue whisking until combined. 

Pour over the crust, and bake for 15 minutes. Then top with the remaining crumbs, and bake another 20 minutes. Let cool and then chill in the refrigerator before cutting. Store in the fridge.