Refreshing Strawberry Lemonade Bars (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Our Nourished Kitchen
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 8 hours ago
We are so lucky to have organic strawberries in abundance during the summer season where we live. There are many local organic strawberry farms that set aside U-pick hours. U-pick is so easy and fun; you pick your own berries (as much as you want) then purchase them by weight. Anyone can come! You just grab a container, and begin your wander through the strawberry fields. My daughters look forward to this outing every year and have become seasoned strawberry pickers. Finding beautiful, ripe strawberries is as good as finding treasure. "I found a good one!" "Ooh this one has bugs in it, put it back!" "Look at this giant red one!" A few end up right in my daughters' mouths, but most make it into our containers to be weighed and paid. Here is our most recent bounty!
The first recipe I thought of were these Refreshing Strawberry Lemonade Bars which are both gluten-free and dairy-free. Most lemon bars are made with a traditional shortbread crust, which inevitably requires butter to get a flaky, delicious crumb. However, I have worked to create a lemon bar (with the addition of strawberries) that uses refined coconut oil. Tip: keeping the coconut oil super cold is crucial. When combined with the 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour, the very cold coconut oil helps yeild that same flaky crumb traditionally achieved with butter.
How to make these Refreshing Strawberry Lemonade Bars (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Prep, Preheat, and Make the Dough Base: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Leave an overhang on the sides so you can easily pull it out.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1:1 gluten-free flour, powdered sugar, and the salt. Add the solid refined coconut oil and vanilla extract. I really prefer to cut the ingredients with a pastry cutter, but if you prefer a fork or your fingers that works too. Work the oil and vanilla into the dry mixture until it forms a crumbly dough that clumps together when you press or squeeze it. This should take aproximately 30-60 seconds. Work fast to avoid having your coconut oil melt.
Rest and Bake: Press the dough into the bottom of the 8x8 pan. Place the entire pan of raw dough into the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking. Don't skip this step--this helps the gluten-free flour hydrate without melting the oil. You will get the best possible texture with this resting technique. After 15-minutes in the fridge, move the chilled pan into the oven. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes (I used ceramic, which takes longer to heat up). Pull it out when the edges are just lightly golden brown.
Create the Strawberry Lemon puree: While the crust bakes, place the chopped strawberries and fresh lemon juice into a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth.
Create the Strawberry Lemon Custard: Get a large bowl and whisk the maple syrup, eggs, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons of G/F flour, and 2 tablespoons of tapioca starch until combined. Add the strawberry-lemon puree into the egg mixture, whisk for 45-60 seconds until smooth. You may still have some lumps from the flour or starch. I strained my custard with a fine-mesh strainer. This resulted a very smooth custard. Up to you!
Pour the Filling in the Crust, Bake, and Chill: After you take the crust out of the oven, pour the strained filling filling directly over it, then pop it directly back in the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Start checking at 35 minutes for doneness.
The Doneness Test: Gently shake the pan. The edges should be completely set and still, and only a small circle in the very center should have a slight jiggle. It will finish setting up on the counter. Cool for 1-2 hours on the counter, then pop in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours (or overnight if you can). Once ready, dust with powdered sugar and serve!
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