Lemongrass Bars with Coconut Shortbread Crust

My friend, Suzi, is crazy about lemon bars, so I'm always on the lookout for a good bar I can make for her. When I came across this recipe for lemongrass bars in the March issue of Bon Appetit (the same issue I found the recipe for Fish Wrapped in Savoy Cabbage) I knew I had to try them.

The hardest thing about making these bars was having to lug out my food processor so I could pulverize the lemongrass with the sugar.  But other than that, this recipe was a breeze to make and I'll definitely be making them again!  The lemongrass filling was tart and delicious and the crust had just the right amount of chewiness.  Too bad Suzi wasn't around to taste these wonderful treats, but that just means I'll be making them again soon.  My plan is to exchange a batch of these bars for an invitation to her lake cottage!

It seems every dessert recipe I share involves coconut.  What can I say?  I am without apology!!  Coconut is one of my favorite flavors; from the milky juice to the moist, flaky flesh it is so versatile! 

Ingredients:

crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 T unsalted butter, room temperature

filling:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers peeled away, bottom white part only, finely chopped
5 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 large eggs
1/4 cup flour
powdered sugar

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Butter 13 X 9 inch baking pan.  Mix flour, coconut, powdered sugar, and 1/2 t salt together in a large bowl.  Using an electric mixer, add in butter and beat until well blended.

2.  Press dough into bottom and up sides of pan.  Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

3.  While dough is baking, place sugar and lemongrass in food processor and pulse until lemongrass is pulverized and mixed well with sugar.

4.  Add lemon juice and blend for 30 seconds.  Add eggs and process to blend briefly.  Add flour and a pinch of salt and process until smooth.

5.  Reduce oven temperature to 325.  Pour filling over crust and return to oven until filling is firm, about 25 minutes.

6.  Let cool.  Cut into squares and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.