lemon bar redemption

I committed to myself that if I wrote a blog that I wouldn't just post the baking successes but I would also share my bloopers....pictures and all.  Isn't that half the fun? While we're on the subject, I will remind you that I'm very messy in the kitchen.  Baking is an event and depending on how much controlled chaos is going on in the house at the time has a direct correlation to my bloopers whether it's a forgotten ingredient (I once forgot all the sweetener in some brownies...gross), wrong pan size, wrong cook time etc.  Baking is an art and a science or something in between and the bloopers are part of it so let's love them.

Despite my gigantic sweet tooth, I somehow married someone who isn't really into desserts.  When planning our wedding, he was heavily advocating for a wedding steak versus a wedding cake.  Don't worry- we didn't have a beef carving photo session.  Buttercream and a combination of chocolate and vanilla cake prevailed.  There are only a few exceptions to his less than enthusiastic attitude towards dessert and lemon bars are one of them.

​Back in June for Father's Day, I set out to find a lemon bar recipe that would change his dessert mind set.  Ina Garten from the Food Network has an amazing recipe that starts with a buttery, shortbread like crust and a sweet and tangy lemon filling that sets just right on top.  I set out on my baking journey that day in a rush and here's what I came up with....

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oops! Lemon bar fail...

The crust looked nice.  The lemon curd was to die for.  I had to adjust the baking timing recommended in the recipe.  It didn't set.  What did I do wrong? Wrong size baking pan.  The effort wasn't lost but it was a win for baking being a science.  Well, Mr. Sunday Bakers had a birthday a few weeks back and I set out for lemon bar redemption with the correct sized baking pan and here's the comparison...

Redeemed! This recipe makes a lot of lemon bars too so I was able to put half of them in the deep freezer for a cold winter day when we need a reminder of spring!  The blooper was a nice excuse for a new baking pan also and I've got to say that the crust in this recipe is really a beauty and I've used it for festive strawberry and blueberry tarts over the summer.  

​So, enjoy the journey my friends; bloopers, messes and all.  Have a great week.