Lemon Drizzle Bars

Alas, they are no more, poor things

On Friday afternoon, we made lemon bars from a very simple recipe.  I got it from Home Baking (80 recipes for delicious home-baked goodies) and I haven't baked anything from this book which hasn't tasted delicious.  Here is the recipe:

For 12 bars
2 eggs
175g/6oz caster sugar
150g/5 1/2 oz soft margarine
rind of 1 lemon (finely grated)
175g/6oz self-raising flour
125ml/4 fl oz milk

• oven to 180C/350F/GasMark 4 and grease & line an 18cm/7inch square cake tin
• eggs, sugar, margarine in a large bowl and beat well until smooth and fluffy
• stir in lemon rind, fold in flour lightly and evenly
• stir in milk
• spoon mixture into tin and smooth
• bake for 45 - 50 mins or until golden brown and firm to touch

For syrup

140g/5oz icing sugar

50ml/2 fl oz lemon juice

• place sugar and juice in small pan and heat gently, stirring until sugar dissolved (don't boil)
• prick the cake all over with a skewer and spoon hot syrup over the top
• leave to cool, then turn out of tin, cut into bars and dust with icing sugar

I used demerara sugar because I ran out of icing sugar.  I also used unsalted butter instead of margarine.  I let my one year old crack the eggs, turn on the mixer and lick the spoon, but don't worry:  He adhered to all appropriate safety procedures and his tongue is incredibly clean.