*These Lemon Cream Bars are paleo friendly, grain free, and refined sugar free.
I’ve noticed ever since completing a whole30 earlier this year that grains and dairy are not kind to my body. They cause a lot of inflammation for me and so over the last few months I’ve moved over to a way of eating that focuses on a lot of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, meats, and such. Grains, dairy(aside from butter),and refined sugars are something that I have been avoiding and have been feeling remarkably better for it. In essence, the way I eat might be considered paleo, though I don’t really like to label it as a diet, just a way of eating tailored to my specific needs.
Naturally, I’ve made desserts work to fit my dietary lifestyle and want to share more of them with all of you! These lemon bars are something I’ve been making for years(I originally developed the for a diet specific website) and I think they’re every bit as good as a conventional lemon bar. They have a crisp, shortbread crust made with almond flour and are topped with a luscious lemon filling that is given a bit of extra creaminess with the addition of coconut cream(click HERE to see how I make it from scratch). Honey sweetens the filling, but you could substitute it with agave, if you preferred.
Eat these bars the day of or within the next day, if you can(not that it will be an issue)! The crust tends to get a bit to soft past two days in the fridge.
I topped my bars with clusters of frozen white currents, but they really don’t need a garnish at all. Or, if you don’t mind the added sugar, a dusting of powdered sugar just before serving would look lovely!
ITEMS USED TO MAKE THESE BARS:
- FOR THE CRUST:
- 1½ cups Almond Flour
- 5 tablespoons Tapioca Flour
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1½ tablespoons Honey
- 3½ tablespoons Grass-fed Butter, cold, cut into cubes
- FOR THE FILLING:
- 4 Eggs
- 3 Egg Yolks
- ½ cup Honey
- ½ Cup fresh Lemon Juice
- ¼ Salt
- 4 tablespoons Grass-fed Butter, cut into small cubes
- 3 tablespoons Coconut Cream
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line an 8x8" baking pan with parchment paper so that the paper goes all the way up the sides of the pan.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the almond flour, tapioca starch, and salt. Add the honey and cubes of butter and process until smooth dough forms.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until it starts to turn golden brown on top.
- While the crust is baking, make the filling. In a large saucepan, whisk together the eggs, honey, lemon juice, and salt until well combined. Place the pan on medium/high heat and add in the butter cubes. Whisk constantly until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil.
- As soon as the mixture boils, remove it from the heat. Continue to whisk constantly once the mixture is off the heat to help it cool down a bit and avoid curdling. Whisk in the coconut cream and pour the filling on top of the partially baked crust. Return it to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the filling is glossy and set.
- Let cool completely. Refrigerate for a few hours and slice into bars with a hot knife. Keep bars refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Will keep for 2-3 days.
Recipe lightly adapted from a recipe I developed for My Natural Family a few years ago.
How much salt in filling? Just says 1/4