Baking Dessert

Tangy lemon and juniper bars

Name: Lemon and berry bars recipe
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 1 tsp juniper berries; 1/2 tsp coriander seeds; 110g unsalted butter, melted; 30g caster sugar; 125g plain flour; 225g caster sugar; 45g plain flour; 3 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest; 120ml fresh lemon juice

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by Eleanor Ford

Author

Apr 18, 2024

"Lemon bars are a US classic, so I turned to one of the grand dames of American baking, Alice Medrich, for inspiration in this recipe. It was her saying that some deemed her bars too lip-puckeringly sour that made me know I would love them. I have taken a liberty with Anglo-American relations, adding a British twist with the flavours of gin. Everyone knows gin and lemon are the perfect match, so it follows that the spirit’s key botanicals – juniper and coriander seed – fit beautifully in the buttery biscuit base of a lemon bar.” – Eleanor Ford. Recipe by Eleanor Ford.

Biscuit base

1 tsp juniper berries
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
110g unsalted butter, melted
30g caster sugar
125g plain flour

Tangy topping

225g caster sugar
45g plain flour
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
120ml fresh lemon juice

Method

1.

Line a 20cm square cake pan with baking paper. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
2.

For the biscuit base, use a small spice grinder to grind together the juniper and coriander and 1/4 tsp fine salt. In a large bowl, mix spices into the melted butter with the sugar. Stir through the flour, just until combined. Press the dough evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan.
3.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the base is golden in the centre and well browned at the edges.
4.

While the base is baking, make the topping. In a large bowl, mix the sugar and flour. Stir in the eggs, followed by the lemon zest and juice.
5.

When the base is ready, turn down oven to 150°C/130°C fan-forced. Slide out the oven rack, pour the topping straight onto hot biscuit base and gingerly slide back into oven.
6.

Bake for 20 minutes longer, or until there is only the faintest jiggle in the centre if you tap the side of the pan.
7.

Cool completely in the pan, then lift out onto a chopping board. The foamy tops don’t concern me, but if they do you, blot with paper towel to let the sunny yellow shine, or dust with icing sugar. Slice into 16 squares.

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Recipe Notes

"You’ll need a 20cm square cake pan. Bars will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. Lavender in the biscuit base is rather lovely. Add 2 tsp finely chopped fresh lavender flowers in place of the spices.”