YIELD: 16 BARS
These are a lightened-up version of traditional lemon bars, leaving out the eggs and butter and opting for plant-based ingredients instead. Agar can easily be sourced at local health food stores or Asian markets. If you can only source agar bars or flakes, simply run them through a spice grinder until powdered.
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a small bowl, mix the flaxseed meal with the water until gelled, for about 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the rest of the crust ingredients and then massage the prepared flaxseed meal into the almond meal mixture until well blended.
Press crust into a lightly greased 8 × 8- inch baking pan.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown on edges.
Remove from oven and let cool while you make the filling.
To make the filling, bring the 2 cups water and agar powder to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk.
Let boil for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened and all agar has dissolved.
(Be sure that all agar has dissolved or your lemon bars won’t set correctly.)
Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, food coloring, and cornstarch slurry.
Continue to cook over medium heat, bringing back up to a boil.
Let boil for about 3 minutes, until thickened.
Pour the mixture on top of the crust and chill immediately on a flat surface in your refrigerator.
Chill 2 hours, or until firm.
Cut into squares.
Dust with confectioners sugar before serving.
Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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Ingredients
CRUST
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
4 tablespoons water
1½ cups almond meal
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
FILLING
2 cups water
1½ tablespoons agar powder
1¼ cups sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 6 lemons’ worth)
1 drop natural yellow food coloring
¼ cup cornstarch dissolved completely in ¼ cup water
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 400°F.
