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Vegan Lemon Bars

Vegan Lemon Bars

★★★★★

4.1 from 9 reviews

Coconut oil shortbread crust is baked up to tender perfection and topped with a luscious coconut cream lemon curd to make these vegan lemon bars.

Scale

Ingredients

For the base:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, softened a bit but not melted
  • 1/2 cup unflavored soy or almond milk

For the lemon curd:

  • 2/3 cup lemon juice (about 4 to 6 lemons)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch turmeric (optional, for color)
  • 3/4 cup coconut cream (see note)

For topping:

  • Powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly oil a 9 x 9 inch square baking pan.
  2. Make the base by stirring together the flour, sugar and salt together in a medium mixing bowl. Add the coconut oil and cut it in using a pastry cutter or a fork, until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the milk to form a dough, continuing to stir or mix with your hands until it’s nice and uniform.
  3. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Place it into the oven and bake just until the edges begin to brown, about 20 minutes.
  4. While the base bakes, make the curd. Place the the lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon extract, salt, and turmeric (if using) into a small saucepan. Whisk until uniformly combined. Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the coconut cream. Continue to whisk the mixture constantly as it heats up. The mixture should thicken up quickly once it gets to a simmer. Cook about 1 minute more, continuing to whisk vigorously, then remove the saucepan from the heat.
  5. Once the base comes out of the oven, pour the lemon mixture over it, and smooth it out into an even layer. Return the pan to the oven and bake about 15 minutes longer. You should see a few bubbles forming in the curd by this time.
  6. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack to cool. The curd will continue to set as it cools. Once it has cooled completely and the curd has set, slice into 16 bars.
  7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Notes

Look in the international foods section for coconut cream, right next to the canned coconut milk. Trader Joe’s and Thai Kitchen are two popular brands. If you can’t find it, simply place a can of full fat coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight to chill. When you open the can, it should have separated into solids and water. The solids are the coconut cream.

Find it online: https://ohmyveggies.com/vegan-lemon-bars/