Meyer Lemon Thyme Bars

Lemons, lemons, and more lemons. I got a bunch of lemons from my neighbor today. Not just regular lemons though, these are meyer lemons. She doesn't really use them from her tree so she told me I can take them whenever I need them! It is great because I really love meyer lemons. They are a cross between a standard lemon and a tangerine. They are still very tart, but have a more rounded sweetness to them. They are really the only lemon I ever use. So with such an abundance of lemons, I wanted to make a dessert that would really showcase the lemon itself.





There is no better way to feature lemons than in the classic Lemon Bar. Thyme is one of my favorite herbs, and one I use most often in the kitchen. It grows so well in the backyard so I always have it on hand. Thyme has a naturally earthy, lemony taste to it so I thought it would really enhance the meyer lemons in these bars. I used Ina Garten's Lemon Bar recipe and added a few of my own touches to it.

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Meyer Lemon Thyme Bars with a Pistachio Crust
Makes 20 to 30, depending on size and shape

For the Crust:

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
3/4 cup finely ground pistachios

For the Filling:

6 eggs, at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated meyer lemon zest
1 cup freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light, about 5 minutes. Combine the flour, pistachios and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to the butter and sugar. Mix just till combined. Press dough into the bottom on a 9x13 inch baking dish. Chill for at least 15 minutes. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, till crust is lightly golden. Cool completely.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, zest, juice, flour, and thyme. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set and slightly golden around the edges. Cool to room temperature and cut into squares or triangles.