COOKIES-LEMON BARS

(This is one of those cookies that you make up and adapt for your husband that likes lemon bars.  It took a few tries, but I got a decent lemon curd and a nice cookie crust out of my experiments.  The crust was crumbly, but I pieced it together a bit and rerolled it.  Delicious! I did sift some powdered sugar on the top to brightened up the color.  I laugh every time I think of my friend, Judy Farber, who told me the powdered sugar doesn't count if you lick it off quick. )

Oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-dozen bars

Filling

3 lemons juice and zest

2-cups water

2-tablespoons agar flakes

1-cup nut, rice, or soy milk

½-cup agave nectar

3-tablespoons arrowroot powder

optional:  pinch of turmeric for color

Crust

½-cup agave nectar

1-tablespoon white vinegar

¾-cup oil

4-cups pastry flour

¾-cup baking soda

¾-teaspoon cream of tartar

Filling

In a glass bowl zap the water and agar flakes for 5 minutes, stir, and repeat until flakes are dissolved.

In a pan whisk together the milk, arrowroot, and turmeric until it starts to thicken.  Add the lemon, zest, agave, and whisk together.

Crust

In a standing mixing bowl whisk together the agave, vinegar, and oil. 

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. 

Mix the dry into the wet and form dough.  Divide the dough in half.  Roll between two pieces of parchment paper into a rectangle the size of a baking pan.  Peel the parchment off the top.  Place the dough in the baking pan and peel off the parchment.

Spread with the filling.  Roll out the second half of the dough between two pieces of parchment paper.  Peel the parchment off the top of the dough.  Place on top of the filling dough side down.  Peel off the parchment. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden. 

This is an easier version with the same great lemon taste.  Use 1/4 of the dough recipe and pat it in a 9-inch square pan.  Fill with 1/2 the lemon curd and bake.