Wow, it’s been awhile! Luckily I’m back with a doozy of a post and something pretty, too! You need pink foods for Spring, right?! Definitely.

I’ve been oogling a lot of vegan lemon bar recipes online lately and though I’ve, in fact, never eaten a lemon bar, I decided to make a rhubarb version with my fresh rhubarb I got from the Dickes Bee food co-op in Berlin, which I’m a member of. I had made rhubarb crumble once some 6 years ago, but besides that I am rhubarb-dumb. I scoured the internet for something worthy and clicked through endless numbers of recipes for rhubarb cake, rhubarb crumble and rhubarb pie until I found it….rhubarb lemon bars! Unfortunately for me, the ONLY recipe I found for these was not vegan, using 5 eggs. I tossed it aside, disappointed…that’s too many eggs to veganize, right? Wrong. Pure food lust got the best of me, so after clicking around the internet a bit more I decided to give it a go and replace the eggs with silken tofu…success!

It seems like a lot of work with making the rhubarb puree and everything, but it really wasn’t so bad. I just used the food processor for everything, though I bet a blender would also suffice!

Without further ado, here is the recipe, veganized from The Quinces and the Pea (original here).

Rhubarb Lemon Bars

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

Rhubarb Puree:

  • 4 cups of rhubarb sliced into half-inch slices
  • 3/4 cup sugar

Crust:

  • 12 tablespoons Earth Balance/margarine I use Alsan in Germany
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • Zest of one lemon

Filling:

  • 1 3/4 cup rhubarb puree
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 11 oz. / 300g silken tofu one box of Mori-Nu tofu is fine
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Powdered sugar for topping

Instructions
 

  • Rinse and cut up the rhubarb and toss in a medium saucepan with sugar.
  • Heat over medium heat until sugar melts, then continue simmering about 8-10 minutes until rhubarb falls apart. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
  • Combine all the crust ingredients in the food processor and process until crumbly and moldable.
  • Press into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and put in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  • Transfer directly to the oven for 20-25 min until it just begins to brown. I actually had never zested a lemon before this, it wasn't as much as a process as I thought! Just used the smallest side of the cheese grater.
  • While the crust is cooking, transfer the puree to the food processor and process until smooth.
  • Add the rest of the filling ingredients except for the cornstarch: lemon juice, sugar and silken tofu and process until smooth.
  • Make sure the mixture has cooled down a bit so it's not super hot, then add the cornstarch and process again.
  • Once the crust is ready, take it out and turn the oven down to 325 F (~160 C).
  • Pour the filling on top and spread evenly. Pop back into the oven until just set, about 25 minutes.
  • Once it's done, make sure it has completely cooled before cutting into it. Putting it in the fridge helps this!
  • Top with powdered sugar and eat! Impress everyone with your pink rhubarb bars!

Smooth rhubarb puree.

With all filling ingredients added except for the cornstarch.

I’m sure you could combine other fruits into the mixture too. Raspberries come to mind. Let me know if you try something new!