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Vegan Raspberry Lemon Curd Bars

vegan Raspberry Lemon Curd Bars stacked on top of each other on a wooden board with raspberries and lemons around

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These vegan raspberry lemon curd bars are tangy, sweet, and irresistibly creamy! A delicious plant-based dessert with a buttery crust and fruity topping.

Ingredients

Scale

Shortbread:

1 1/4 cups/150g all-purpose flour

6 tbsp/45g powdered sugar

5 tbsp/75ml coconut oil, melted

½ tsp/2g baking powder

¼ tsp/2g salt

1-2 tbsp/15-30ml water

Lemon Curd:

½ cup/120ml lemon juice

1 1/3 cup/315ml coconut milk (full fat)

1 ¼ cup/250g granulated sugar

6 tbsp/48g cornstarch

1 cup/125g raspberries, fresh or frozen and defrosted

Powdered sugar to top

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F/175 C. Line an 8” x 8”/20cm x 20cm baking pan with parchment so there is some overlap. For thinner bars use a 9” x 9”/ 23cm x 23cm pan and reduce baking time by 1-2 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.

Add in melted coconut oil and 1 tbsp/15ml water and stir until dough begins to hold together. Add more water as needed, just until holding together but still crumbly.

Press dough into prepared pan, forming an even layer. Prick the dough with a fork to prevent uneven rising.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly brown at the edges.

While the base is baking, prepare the raspberry lemon curd layer:

Blend together the raspberries, lemon juice, and coconut milk until smooth.

In a medium pot, combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Whisk to distribute.

Add just enough raspberry mixture while whisking to form a thick slurry with no lumps. Once smooth, add the rest of the liquid.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes thick and translucent, about 7 minutes.

Pour curd through a fine mesh sieve over baked base and return to oven for 15 minutes until there is slight darkening around the edges.

Allow to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature before covering and moving to the fridge to cool for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Once completely cool, remove from pan. Dust with a generous layer of powdered sugar just before serving and cut into 2”/5cm squares. For easiest cutting, heat a very large knife under hot water (and dry it) and wash the knife between slices.

Best the same day. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Short crust base will get soggy and curd will be less silky the longer they sit.

Notes

Oil choice: Any neutral oil will work in this recipe, but coconut oil will provide the best short crust texture and the flavor blends into the coconut present in the filling.

Coconut milk: A full fat coconut milk is critical for this recipe. The fat in the coconut milk helps create the smooth and rich curd.