Cooking Lesson #368: "Lemonies" Lemon Brownie Bars

… from the California Kitchen

​How you doin’? What the heck? Can you really call a lemon bar a brownie—it’s yellow, darn it! Not brown.  Wouldn’t that be a Lemonie?
 
There's nothing new about misappropriating baking culture—giving a classic name with an unexpected twist, like Pumpkin Snickerdoodles or Brookies (half cookie, half brownie) incongruous, yes? My Lemonies seem more like lemon bars, but they’re not… is it a lemon brownie or a lemon bar? You decide.
 
Well, it turns out that citrus brownies have a bit of history with roots in in the Deep South. Paula Deen rolled out an orange brownie on her Food Network show years ago. There are also hundreds of lemon, orange and lime brownie photos on the internet. And these types of recipes have been a bright spot on many food blogs.
 
No matter what you call them, these chewy “brownie” bars certainly do seem to speak to a growing number of lemony sweet enthusiasts who might be looking for an alternative to the ubiquitous chocolate, brown brownie.
 
Lemon flavored bars are always a Joan favorite; they will be yours as well.  I hope you enjoy them.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  23 to 25minutes
Cool time:  20 minutes
Yield:  16 Lemonies
 
Ingredients
 
For the Lemonies
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest, plus 1/4 teaspoon more for icing
 
For the glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (or to taste)
 
Directions
To make the Lemonies

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.  
2. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
3. Beat the flour, sugar, butter and sea salt together in a bowl using an electric mixer until well mixed.  
4. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest together.
5. Add the eggs mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until smooth; about 3 minutes. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. Cool on a rack until the bottom of the dish is warm to the touch; about 15 minutes.

To make the icing

1. Whisk confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice, vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (to taste) together in a bowl until smooth; spread over brownies.

ChefSecrets:  These are fun to eat when cut into bite-sized squares.  Be sure not to bake too long as they can easily become too dry.  They are already more cake-like than a traditional brownie.  I use the juice from the lemons I zested, but it's never enough so I also use some bottled lemon juice as well.

Quip of the Day: “There are so many people out of work and on the government dole. Let me just say, you cannot get back on your feet unless you get off your ass.”
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