LEMON BARS

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:

Base:
1 c (5 ox) AP flour
1/4 c (1 3/4 oz) granulated sugar
1/2 t salt
8 T unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 c (7 oz) granulated sugar
2 T AP flour
2 t cream of tartar
1/4 t salt
3 large eggs plus 3 egg yolks
2 t grated lemon zest
2/3 c lemon juice (4 lemons)
4 T unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

2 T confectioners sugar


Methodology:

Combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt, and stir in the butter.  Press into a greased 8"x8" baking pan and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven, but leave oven on.

Add all filling ingredients but the butter to a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking constantly.  Once the filling begins to thicken, remove from heat and whisk in the butter, mixing until smooth.

Strain the filling onto the base and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool.  Dust with confectioners sugar, slice and serve.

***edited to add note: these turned out extremely sour, and the topping was quite liquid-y***

HALF-SOUR PICKLES

Ingredients:

4 kirby cucumbers, halved lengthwise
3.5% of water kosher salt*
1/4 t mustard seeds
1/4 t celery seeds
1/8 t dill seeds
1/8 t whole black peppercorns
3 garlic cloves, bashed and quartered*
1 t kefir
5 stems fresh dill
Cold tap water to fill pint jar


Methodology:

Place salt, kefir and spices in jar, and add about 1 c water.  Swirl to combine and dissolve salt.  Add cukes and dill stems, and fill jar completely with water, leaving 1/2" headroom at top.

Ferment 10 days in the fridge, and enjoy!

*8/8/18, edited to add: these turned out delicious, but too salty.  Reduce salt to 3.5% of actual amount of water that fits into the jar, rather than 3.5% of total volume.  The garlic flavor was also quite prominent, so reduce that a bit.

*9/18/18, edited to add: made a second batch following the above recommendations.  Also omitted the kefir.  The saltiness was corrected, but the pickles did not seem to sour, so must make sure to always include leftover brine or kefir.