Prep Time : 15 Minutes | Cook Time : 40 Minutes | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Easy
Hello my lovelies! Dialling it back to something more simple this time. But no less delicious. I have a fabulous new book that I’ve been itching to get into – Dolce Italiano. It’s the dessert book from Babbo and it’s excellent. I have flagged a million recipes in it that I want to make. I thought I’d start by sharing one of the more simple ones. Packed full of lemon and pistachio flavour. Topped with crunchy goodness. Crispy at the edges and chewy in the middle. And all ready in no time. I think this recipe is infinitely adaptable too. Just swap the pistachios for any other nuts you like. Pine nuts would be fabulous with the lemon. Hazelnuts with a little shaved chocolate folded in. Fabulous. This is a smaller batch but if you’re looking to feed a crowd just double the recipe and bake in a 9 by 13 inch pan.
Heat the oven to 160C (325F). Line an 8 inch square pan with baking paper. Grind half the pistachios in the small bowl of a food processor or a bullet-style blender. They want to be nice and fine.
Roughly chop the rest of the pistachios and set aside.
Melt the butter and blend with the sugar and lemon zest using a standing or hand-held electric mixer. It will be kind of separate-y and runny. This is ok.
Add the egg and almond extract and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is starting to pale and is smooth and silky looking.
Add the flour, salt and ground pistachios. Mix until combined.
Scrape the dough into the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top as best you can. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the top and press them down gently so they stick into the dough. Sprinkle the extra teaspoon of sugar over the top.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the edges are golden and bars are firm when you press gently in the middle.
Let the bars cool in the pan for about 20 minutes to make sure they’re set up before lifting them out by the baking paper let them cool completely before cutting up into whatever shape you like. I am partial to the triangle…
Now make a cuppa and enjoy!
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Pistachio + Lemon Cookie Bars
Prep Time : 15 mins | Cook Time : 40 mins | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Easy
Makes : 16 small pieces
Chewy nutty pistachio bars with a crunchy top and a hint of lemon.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (75 grams) shelled unsalted pistachios
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 grams) sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup (140 grams) all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar, extra for sprinkling
– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients –
Equipment:
- Standing or hand held electric mixer
- Bowls and spoons
- Food processor or bullet style blender
- 8 inch square pan lined with baking paper
Directions:
Heat the oven to 160C (325F). Line an 8 inch square pan with baking paper. Grind half the pistachios in the small bowl of a food processor or a bullet-style blender. They want to be nice and fine. Roughly chop the rest of the pistachios and set aside.
Melt the butter and blend with the sugar and lemon zest using a standing or hand-held electric mixer. It will be kind of separate-y and runny. This is ok.
Add the egg and almond extract and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is starting to pale and is smooth and silky looking.
Add the flour, salt and ground pistachios. Mix until combined.
Scrape the dough into the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top as best you can. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the top and press them down gently so they stick into the dough. Sprinkle the extra teaspoon of sugar over the top.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the edges are golden and bars are firm when you press gently in the middle.
Let the bars cool in the pan for about 20 minutes to make sure they’re set up before lifting them out by the baking paper let them cool completely before cutting up into whatever shape you like. I am partial to the triangle…
Now make a cuppa and enjoy!
Cook’s Notes:
- If you need more cookies in your life (let’s face it we probably all do) then double this recipe and bake in a 9 by 13 inch pan.
- Experiment with other nuts in these bars – just use the same amount of nuts by weight and try hazelnuts, pine nuts or pecans.
– These bar cookies will keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature –
Adapted from Dolce Italiano by Gina De Palma.
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