I’ve been thinking about Mother’s Day coming up, which made me think of this delicious little confection – probably because it is a perfect sweet treat for a ladies’ tea. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Citrus Bars

Makes 16 large, or 32 small pieces

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour, divided

1 c. granulated white sugar, divided

1/3 c. unsalted butter

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 c. (total) fresh squeezed lemon, lime and/or orange juice

1 T. (total) freshly grated lemon, lime and/or orange zest

3.75 oz. chopped real white chocolate or 3/4 c. white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9” square baking pan. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine 1 c. of the flour and 1/4 c. of the granulated sugar. Cut in butter, using your hands to blend ingredients, until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbs. Press mixture onto the bottom of the baking pan. Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes or until the base looks just set. (Do not overbake or the base will dry out.)
3. While the base is baking, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, citrus juice, citrus zest, remaining 1/4 c. of flour and remaining 3/4 c. of granulated sugar. Set aside.
4. Once the base is ready, remove baking pan from the oven and sprinkle base evenly with white chocolate. Whisk the lemon mixture again and then spread it evenly over the white chocolate layer.
5. Bake for another 13 to 15 minutes or until just set. Cool completely before cutting into bars or squares.

Tip: After zesting your lemon, lime or orange, roll it on the counter while pressing down on it with your palm. This will help you get more juice out of the fruit when you squeeze it.

Serving Suggestions: Right before serving sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. For a fancier presentation, press 1 c. of raspberry preserves through a sieve. Spoon preserves over pre-cut bars. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow preserves to firm up. Top cookies with  fresh mint leaves.

Have a lovely weekend!