Chexlemonbars Recipes

SPECIAL CEREAL BARS I

Steps:

• Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.
• In a large sauce pan, combine sugar and light corn syrup. Cook over medium heat until boiling. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the cereal. Pat the cereal mixture into the greased pan.
• Melt peanut butter and chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. Spread the melted mixture over the cereal bars and refrigerate to set.

MILLIONAIRE'S CHEX™ BARS

Steps:

• Line 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
• In 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add marshmallows. Stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until marshmallows are fully melted. Reduce heat to low; stir in cereal until evenly coated. Remove from heat; pour into baking dish. Use greased rubber spatula or greased hands to press mixture firmly and evenly in dish. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
• In 2-quart saucepan, cook caramels, milk and salt over medium heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted. Pour mixture over bars, and spread evenly. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
• In double boiler over medium heat or in microwavable bowl in microwave, melt chocolate chips. If using microwave, microwave uncovered on High in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted. Pour melted chocolate over caramel; spread evenly. Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate until set, 1 to 2 hours. Cut into bars.

LEMON BARS

Steps:

• PREP: Line a CERAMIC 9x13-inch pan (don't use a metal pan -- it will make the bars taste metallic) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang of paper for easy bar removal. Lightly spray the pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
• SHORTBREAD CRUST: In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (or use a bowl and hand mixer), beat together the room temperature butter and 1/2 cup white sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 2-4 minutes. Scrape the edges of the bowl as needed. Then add in 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, and 2 cups of flour. Beat until a thick dough forms, scraping the sides as needed. (Dough too soft? Add 1-3 additional tablespoons flour.)
• CRUST CONT.: Transfer dough from bowl to prepared pan and press evenly on the bottom of the pan and a little up the sides (about 1/2-inch). Take your time, ensuring the dough is in an even layer and touching every bit of the edge of the pan so the lemon filling doesn't seep through. Then, place pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to allow crust to firm up a bit. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. After 15 minutes, remove crust from freezer and again press all the edges to the pan making sure the seal is 100% tight. Bake crust fully preheated oven for 22-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown at the edges.
• LEMON PREP: Meanwhile, microwave lemons for 15 seconds. Remove, and knead against the counter with your hand. (These two steps help to get your lemons super juicy.)
• LEMONS: Very finely zest a lemon to get 2 teaspoons lemon zest. (Be careful to avoid the white pith of the lemons-- that will make your bars bitter.) Juice the lemons until you have 2/3 cup of lemon juice.
• BLENDER: To a high-powered blender, add remaining 1-1/2 cups white sugar and lemon zest. Pulse just to break down the zest, about 5-8 times. Do not overblend or you'll get powdered sugar! Then add remaining 3 tablespoons flour, 2/3 cup lemon juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 4 large eggs, 1/3 cup heavy cream, and 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (if using). Blend for 20 seconds or until just incorporated-- again, being careful to not over-blend, but ensuring all ingredients are emulsified together. Use a spatula to stir the mixture around and let sit until needed.
• BAKE AGAIN: Stir the blended mixture up again and pour slowly and evenly over the hot crust (right out of the oven). Bake for another 20-25 minutes or until bars very slightly jiggle in the center (like firm Jell-o). Allow bars to cool at room temperature for 2 hours and then chill in the fridge until the lemon layer is firm, about 2 more hours.
• FINISHING: Before enjoying, sprinkle the top of the bars with powdered sugar (through a fine-mesh sieve). Slice and enjoy!
• CUTTING TIPS: Pull the parchment paper overhang to remove the entire slab of bars from the pan and place on a cutting board or surface. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry, make one cut, and repeat this process until all the bars are cut out.
• STORAGE: Be sure to let the bars cool completely before putting them in the fridge. Cover leftover bars with plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for 4-6 days. Or freeze leftover bars. To freeze: Cut the bars out and set on a lined sheet pan, leaving room around all four edges. Place in freezer until frozen through (2-3 hours). Once frozen through, wrap each lemon bar individually with plastic wrap and store them in a large bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.

CHEX LEMON BARS

Steps:

• For the crust:.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F Generously butter a 9 inch baking dish or for less mess and easier cutting, line the pan with parchment paper sling with an overhang.
• Make crust (by hand or use a food processor):.
• By hand: Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Crush Rice Chex to about 1/2 cup of crumbs and add to other dry ingredients. Cut in butter using a pastry blender, a fork or two knives until butter is incorporated and the mixture has fine crumbs.
• By food processor: Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into food processor bowl with chopping blade. Add Rice Chex cereal. Run processor until cereal is crushed into fine crumbs. Add butter pieces and pulse until butter is incorporated but mixture has fine crumbs and still looks floury. Make sure to pulse, do not over process, about 10 one second pulses should be enough.
• Press mixture firmly and evenly into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, just until it's beginning to take on some color. Do not over bake.
• While crust is baking prepare filling:.
• Combine all filling ingredients, sifting in the dry ingredients. Mix until well blended. Pour over hot base as soon as the base is finished baking. Return to oven for 15-20 minutes, until top is set and just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Dust heavily with confectioner's sugar. If your used parchment paper, simply lift out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into bars - for cookie trays cut 1 inch bars, for dessert cut larger bars.