Raspberry Lemon Bars

I have definitely been on a raspberry kick lately.

Maybe because I found them on sale for 87 cents a pack. And if you know me, you know I’m a cheap skate.

So yes, if raspberries are on sale for that cheap, I will be buying at least 4 packs of them…or maybe more.

In my week of raspberry goodness I have made a killer Raspberry and Toasted Coconut Spinach and Arugula Salad, Vanilla French Toast with Raspberry Cream Sauce, and these tart and tangy Raspberry Lemon Bars.

Raspberry overload??? Nah!

Okay, I don’t know why I haven’t thought of these Raspberry Lemon Bars sooner.

I’ve grown up making lemon bars all the time. My mom is known for her lemon bars, they are that good. I was totally stoked when I was able to recreate her Luscious Lemon Bars recipe to be gluten free.

It wasn’t until I had cartons of raspberries staring me in my face that the epiphany hit: raspberries and lemon bars, of course!

So here is where the 87 cents a carton became important. I made 4 batches before I could get these babies right. Four!

When the raspberries cook, they release extra liquid so the first batch was way too soupy. Then I overcompensating for the extra liquid and the second batch was too chewy from the additional flour. The third batch I just plain forgot what I was doing. Haha! But alas, the fourth batch came and they were a huge success! So glad it wasn’t a huge waste of money.

These lemon bars taste like you are biting into a lemon bar with raspberry jam. Ben thinks they taste like raspberry lemonade. Whatever they taste like, they taste good!

I ended up making a lemon whipped cream to go on top just to give it some additional lemon flavor. It was very subtle in the cream, but made such a difference.

I really like these bars chilled. Because gluten free flours don’t hold their shape as well as wheat flour, the crust of these bars will become a bit soft if left room temperature. To keep the crust a true crust, they need to be eaten chilled, which I prefer anyway.

Well here is to having epiphanies! I hope you will have an idea as great as mine, but until you do…go make these lemon bars.

Raspberry Lemon Bars

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

 

Gluten free lemon bars with fresh raspberries baked into the filling. Tastes like you're eating a lemon bar with raspberry jam!

Author: Brielle

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 20

Ingredients

• For Crust:
• dash of salt
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup almond flour
• ½ cup brown rice flour
• ½ cup potato starch
• ½ cup tapioca starch
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon water
• For Filling:
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1⅔ cups sugar
• 6 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons white rice flour
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1¼ cups fresh raspberries
• For Whipped Cream:
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar
• 2½ tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin making crust. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine dash of salt, powdered sugar, brown rice flour, almond flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, and xanthan gum. Mix until ingredients are equally dispersed. Cut in soft butter and 1 tablespoon of water with pastry blender until pea sized crumbs form.
2. Line a 9X13 glass pan with parchment paper. Dump dough crumbs evenly into pan and lightly press down pieces to make the crust. Make sure the entire bottom of the pan is covered with crust.
3. Bake the crust for 18 minutes and remove. Set aside for 5 minutes before pouring filling on top.
4. While crust is baking begin making filling. In a medium sized mixing bowl beat eggs. Add sugar and beat until blended. Add lemon juice and lemon zest (if preferred). Mix thoroughly. Add baking powder, white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch and xanthan gum. Mix until combined. Pour over crust. Arrange raspberries evenly around pan.
5. Return pan to oven for 25-27 minutes until filling is set. (You can slightly shake the pan to make sure there is no jiggle in the center)
6. Cool on cooling rack in fridge for 2 hours or at room temperature for at least 4 hours until no longer warm. Remove entire slab of lemon bars from pan by pulling up on parchment paper. Cut into 2" squares and dust with powdered sugar on top.
7. Make whipped cream by combining whipping cream, powdered sugar and lemon juice in a medium sized bowl (metal is best). Beat on high until soft peaks form, about 3-5 minutes.
8. Serve bars chilled with a scoop of whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

3.2.1311