Durant’s Lavender and Rosemary Lemon Bars

What is the best way to beat the summertime heat? We recommend a citrusy dessert paired with Dundee Hills Chardonnay or sparkling wine. This lemon bar recipe from Durant holds a few special twists to make it the ultimate crowd-pleaser.

See recipe on Durant at Red Ridge Farms

Lavender Rosemary Shortbread Base

• 1 ¼ cups All-purpose flour, sifted
• ¼ cup White sugar
• ¼ cup Brown sugar
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tbsp Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• ½ cup Durant Olive Mill Rosemary Fused Olive Oil

Lemon Curd Filling

• 2 Whole eggs
• 4 Egg yolks
• 1 cup White sugar
• 1 cup Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Lemon zest
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• ½ tsp Durant Kitchen Culinary Lavender
• 2 tbsp Durant Olive Mill Lavender Fused Olive Oil
• ⅓ cup Flour

Lavender Rosemary Shortbread Base

1. Preheat oven to 325℉
2. Grease and line an 8″x8″ baking dish with parchment paper, leaving enough sticking out two sides for easy removal
3. In a mixing bowl combine the sifted flour, both sugars, salt, and finely chopped rosemary with a wooden spoon until fully combined.
4. Slowly drizzle in Durant Olive Mill Rosemary Fused Olive Oil and mix until a coarse dough forms. Use your hands to crumble and break apart any dry lumps.
5. Press the dough into the bottom of the parchment-lined baking dish until an evenly distributed layer of shortbread is formed
6. Using a fork or chopstick, poke shallow dots throughout the dough to prevent puffing.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top of the shortbread has turned golden brown, and remove from the oven (though the base does not need to cool before continuing).

Lemon Curd Filling

1. While the shortbread bakes, vigorously whisk all of the curd ingredients together until well combined.
2. Once the shortbread has finished baking, pour the lemon curd mixture over the shortbread base and return to the oven between 30-45 minutes (depending on your oven). They are ready when you can see a slight wiggle in the center but the edges stay completely set.
3. Wait at least 30 minutes before cutting into the cooled bars but they taste best once they’ve chilled in a cold refrigerator overnight.
4. Garnish with powdered sugar, Durant Kitchen Culinary Lavender, and lemon rings immediately before serving.

   WINE PAIRING

   In addition to the wines expertly crafted by Durant Vineyards, don’t miss this recommendation provided by Domaine Willamette Sommelier, Suzanne Shultz.

   • 2019 Domaine Willamette Blanc de Blancs: Bubbles shine in the glass as aromas of fresh straw, honeyed almond, and apple pie captivate the nose. Tantalizing flavors including blanched peach, fresh pear, and apricot combine into a round, creamy palate with a lingering finish.
     
     This sparkling wine adds depth to both sweet and savory dishes, and I feel that reflects these bars with both their citrus and herbal components! Our Blanc de Blancs is crafted from estate-grown Chardonnay using méthod traditionelle where the wine goes through secondary fermentation in the bottle. It’s been aged on its lees for 30 months to develop complexity and creaminess while preserving vibrancy. Our Bernau Estate vineyard is adjacent to Durant Olive Mill and you know what they say – what grows together goes together!