Paleo Rosemary-Lemon Bars — The GlutenFree Camel

Sep 9

Sep 9 Paleo Rosemary-Lemon Bars

Vegetarian, Paleo, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dessert, Dairy-Free, Sweet

Sour, fresh and just the right amount of sweet, these classic lemon bars are light, grain-free and summery. Made with an almond and coconut crust, with an optional rosemary-oil infusion, they have a slight herbal undertone that beautifully balances the maple syrup and strong lemon zing. These mouth watering beauties are simple to make, and bound to impress!

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Is there anything more delightful and summery than a tarte au citron, or lemon tart? Lemon curd, lemon candies…. maybe I just love lemon, but desserts with these bright, tangy flavors have always been my favorite.

The lemon-rosemary combo has quite a special significance for me. My wedding cake, made by a collection of wonderful, creative friends, was a lemon cake with lemon rosemary buttercream frosting! Gluten-free of course. And it as gorgeously delicious as it looks!

Lemon bars are like the chill version of tarte au citron. The run of the mill lemon bar is WAY over sweetened with processed white sugar, so much so that you feel it in your teeth. These lemon bars are made with maple syrup, and sweetened just enough to balance the lemony sharp bite. The rosemary infusion in the coconut oil adds a subtle herbal aroma and aftertaste that elevates this lemon bar interpretation to a whole other flavor experience. Made on top of a delicate, crumbly grain-free biscuit crust… I find these lemon-rosemary bars completely irresistible !

Ingredient Fun Facts + Substitutions:

- lemon: freshly squeezed juice and zest is the main flavor punch of this recipe. I’ve not experimented as of yet, but I imagine you can replace lemon with any other sharp citrus fruit! I am keen to try lime, grapefruit or pomelo. Lemon is best known for being an excellent source of Vitamin C, which not only supports our immune system but a wide variety of body functions, nutrient absorption and contains health-promoting phytonutrients
- egg: egg custards are a fickle lover, but the key is working gently with them and cooking slow and steady. There aren’t really any substitutions for this particular recipe, but maybe down the line I’ll create a vegan variation on this theme. Eggs create the structure of the custard, and when baked properly, is creamy, soft, and yet stable enough to slice into bars
- almond + coconut flour biscuit base: almond flour acts as the crumbly texture in this biscuit crust, while coconut flour is more absorbant and helps to hold things together. It is possible to create a crust with 100% of either flour if you don’t have both. Subs: For a coconut flour crust, try 3/4 cup coconut flour with 1/3 cup coconut oil. For a pure almond flour crust, use 1 1/4 cups almond flour, with 5 tbsp of coconut oil.
- rosemary: is entirely optional. BUT the delicate rosemary flavor really creates a whole other level of lemon bar experience… just trust me 😉

How to Make Grain-Free Lemon-Rosemary Bars:

1. Optional rosemary-coconut oil infusion: 2 hours prior to beginning the rest of the recipe, combine the rosemary leaves and coconut oil in a small pot. Heat on low, and warm without simmering for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool and infuse for 2 hours. The longer you let the leaves sit, the stronger the infusion. Strain the leaves out before using.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 baking dish with criss-crossing strips of parchment paper, or grease with coconut oil. If just greasing, make sure to allow the bars to set for awhile in the fridge to help with removal.

3. In a medium bowl combine the almond flour, coconut flour, and salt in a bowl, and mix to combine. Then add the maple syrup, vanilla and strained rosemary-coconut oil, and mix until a crumble forms

4. Press the crumble into the bottom of the baking dish with the back of a spoon or spatula, making a smooth, even layer of crust

5. Bake crust for 15-17 minutes, until the edges are beginning to brown, then shift the oven temperature down to 325 degrees

6. While the crust is baking, in a large bowl whisk together eggs, lemon, lemon zest, and maple syrup. Make sure to whisk well to smooth the egg mixture as much as possible.

7. Sift in the tapioca flour into the egg mixture, while whisking simultaneously to remove any lumps

8. Pour the mixture on top of the pre-baked crust (double check the oven has cooled to 325°F) and bake for 14-16 min, just until the sides are set but the center still wiggles

9. Cool for 30 min at room temperature, then transfer to fridge for at least 2 hours to set before slicing and digging in! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days

Paleo Rosemary Lemon Bars

Yield: 9 bars

Author: Samantha Sterman

Prep time: 15 MCook time: 45 MTotal time: 60 M

Sour, fresh and just the right amount of sweet, these classic lemon bars are light and summery. Refined sugar-free and made with a grain-free almond and coconut crust, with optional rosemary-oil infusion, they have a slight herbal undertone that beautifully balances the maple syrup and strong lemon zing. These mouth watering beauties are simple to make, and bound to impress!

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 tbsp of rosemary leaves, removed from the woody stems (optional, but recommended!)
5 tbsp coconut oil (68g)
1 cup almond flour (100g)
1/4 cup coconut flour (25g)
1/4 tsp fine salt (2g)
2 tbsp maple syrup (40g)
1 tsp vanilla (4g)

Filling:

4 eggs + 1 egg yolk (~418g)
3/4 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons, 172g)
1/4 cup maple syrup (80g)
1 tsp lemon zest or a large lemons zested
1 tbsp tapioca flour sifted

Instructions:

Optional rosemary-coconut oil infusion: 2 hours prior to beginning the remainder of the recipe, combine the rosemary leaves and coconut oil in a small pot. Heat on low, and warm without simmering for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool
Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 baking dish with criss-crossing strips of parchment paper, or grease with coconut oil*
In a medium bowl combine the almond flour, coconut flour, and salt in a bowl, and mix to combine. Then add the maple syrup, vanilla and strained rosemary-coconut oil, and mix until a crumble forms.
Press the crumble into the bottom of the baking dish with the back of a spoon or spatula, making a smooth, even layer of crust
Bake crust for 15-17 minutes, until the edges are beginning to brown, then shift the oven temperature down to 325 degrees
While the crust bakes, in a medium or large bowl whisk together eggs, lemon, lemon zest, and maple syrup
Sift in the tapioca flour, while whisking to remove any lumps
Pour the mixture on top of the pre-baked crust (double check the oven has cooled to 325°F) and bake for 14-16 min, just until the sides are set but the center still wiggles**
Cool for 30 min at room temperature, then transfer to fridge for at least 2 hours to set before slicing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days

Recipe Notes:

*make sure to let the bars set completely before slicing and removing, otherwise they will be hard to remove and slice **it is normal for the surface to crack a little as bars cool, and more if they slightly over-bake. Let cool gradually for less cracking

Calories

236.98

Fat (grams)

16.98

Sat. Fat (grams)

7.97

Carbs (grams)

15.91

Fiber (grams)

2.06

Net carbs

13.85