Recipe: Lemoncello Spritz Bars

Enter the adults-only cookie. This one is based on one of my favourite summer drinks, the limoncello spritz, and one of my favourite Aussie bakery treats, the lemon coconut slice. The bars are made from a lemon-scented shortbread that’s crushed and set into a slice, then topped with limoncello icing. You could absolutely replace the limoncello with lemon juice to make these kiddie friendly. But it’s about time we baked treats just for us, don’t you think? Another great substitution: Aperol with orange. Dreamy.

SERVES 12

INGREDIENTS

250 g crushed lemon shortbread crumbs (see below)
200 g sweetened condensed milk
80 g unsalted butter, melted
100 g desiccated coconut

LEMON COCONUT SHORTBREAD

90 g unsalted butter, softened
45 g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
Pinch of salt
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
140 g all-purpose flour
20 g desiccated coconut

LEMONCELLO ICING

300 g icing sugar
50 g unsalted butter, softened
50 ml limoncello

1.  Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper or silicone baking mats, and line a 20 cm square cake tin with baking paper.

2.  Start by making the lemon coconut shortbread. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, caster sugar, egg yolk and salt until smooth. You don’t need to aerate this mixture, just get it nicely combined. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, flour and coconut and mix until just combined. Best part about this shortbread? No rolling out or cutting out shapes! Just press the dough onto the baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

3.  Allow the shortbread to cool. Crush the shortbread with your hands – I like to keep a few larger pieces in there for texture, but you can also use a food processor to blitz it to breadcrumb consistency.

4.  Transfer 250 g of the shortbread crumbs to a bowl and add the condensed milk, melted butter and coconut. Mix to combine, then press the mixture into the cake tin in an even layer.

5.  Place in the fridge while you prepare the icing. For the icing, combine the icing sugar, butter and limoncello in a bowl and whisk until completely smooth. The icing should be thick and spreadable.

6.  Spread the icing over the shortbread base and return it to the fridge to set completely – overnight is best, but 1-2 hours should also do the job. Cut the chilled slab into 3 x 9 cm bars.

Images and text from Some of My Best Friends Are Cookies by Emelia Jackson, photography by Armelle Habib, illustrations by Andrea Smith.
Murdoch Books RRP $45.