Growing up my mom made the best lemon bars. I can still see her whipping the eggs and tossing the flour on the counter. My brother would also make them and they were just as good. I always enjoyed the tangy filling with the buttery, flaky crust.
To keep the mental drool intact I concocted this recipe. I use organic lemons as I also use the peel too. The taste is just cleaner and fresher. The crust is more chewy than flaky, but it has its own delicious way of working.
Start by making your graham crackers OR add a handful of graham crackers to a blender cup and blend. Repeat until you have 3 cups worth of graham cracker crumbs. My blender takes seconds to grind. Do not over grind or you will have paste.
To a bowl add the following ingredients and mix.
3 C graham cracker crumbs
6 T pure maple syrup
6 T extra light olive oil
1/4 t Real salt
Line your cupcake tins with parchment cupcake liners. Scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of your mixture into each liner. Press to form crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 14 minutes. Makes 24.
Allow to cool before use.
Add the following ingredients to a large bowl and mix. Grate a few lemons before squeezing to get your zest.
8 eggs
1 C fresh lemon juice
2/3 C pure maple syrup
2 T tapioca starch
2 t lemon zest
1 t coconut flour
Using a 1/4 cup, scoop your mixture into your cupcake tins.
Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until firm. The crust rises in a way and the filling will sink.
“When live gives you lemons, we make lemon tart!” – MeMe
Allow to cool until room temperature then refrigerate until cold. Store in the fridge for up to a week. These freeze great too. Just place on the counter for a few minutes to thaw a bit. I eat mine with a spoon.
* This recipe would work in a 9×13 dish as well. Bake your crust in your dish then pour your filling over your cooled crust and bake again. I use cupcake tins for easier storage.
** You will have a few extra crust cups. Save for other recipes or just eat. The crust is great by itself too! Having celiac we may do things differently but that’s ok right?!