Strawberry + Lemon + Cherry Bars

Name: Strawberry + Lemon + Cherry Bars
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 stick butter (½ cup); ¼ cup sugar; 1 cup all purpose flour; Egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water whisked together); 24 small California Giant strawberries, stem removed and quartered; ⅓ cup sugar; ⅓ cup red wine vinegar; ½ teaspoon vanilla; ¾ cup sugar; Zest of 1 lemon; Juice of 1 lemon; 2 tablespoon all purpose flour; 2 eggs; ¼ teaspoon vanilla; ½ cup heavy cream, kept cold; ¼ cup powdered sugar; 20 finely chopped cherries

Serves12

From the tart lemons, to the sweet California Giant strawberries, and the fresh, homemade whipped cream with cherries, these bars hit the spot!

INGREDIENTS

For the Crust:

1 stick butter (½ cup)
¼ cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
Egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water whisked together)

For the Strawberry Jam Layer:

24 small California Giant strawberries, stem removed and quartered
⅓ cup sugar
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla

For the Lemon Filling:

¾ cup sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon vanilla

For the Whipped Cherry Cream:

½ cup heavy cream, kept cold
¼ cup powdered sugar
20 finely chopped cherries

DIRECTIONS

- - Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- - In a large saute pan, bring quartered strawberries, sugar, and red wine vinegar to a simmer and cook for 6 ½ minutes, stirring regularly with a rubber spatula.
- - Spread jam onto large plate and chill in refrigerator.
- - In a medium mixing bowl combine softened butter, sugar, and flour until its forms a fine crumble mixture.
- - Line 8 x 9 pan with foil, spray with nonstick spray, and then firmly press crust mixture evenly into pan. Bake for 20 minutes and then brush with egg wash (no need use all of egg wash, just use what is need to cover the crust).
- - Spread chilled strawberry jam on top of warm crust.
- - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, flour, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Pour over jam layer.
- - Place 8 x 9 pan into larger 9 x 13 pan. Fill 9 x 13 with water until it comes halfway up sides of smaller pan.
- - Bake in oven for 23 min or until begins to slightly brown and occasionally bubble in the center.
- - Remove from oven and water bath and let cool to room temperature.
- - Place pan in refrigerator and continue to chill for at least 5 hours, overnight preferred.
- - Once ready to eat, whisk together the heavy cream and sugar using a hand or stand mixer. Begin on low and then work your way up to medium speed until stiff peaks form.
- - Remove stem and pit from cherries (or can cut around stem) and then finely chop or dice the cherries. Fold them into the whipped cream and then spread over lemon bars.
- - Cut into 12 bars and then serve as desired! Keep chilled until ready to eat.