Amazing Pink Lemonade Cream Bars

The kids are at zoo camp this week…and, they needed an after-camp treat…
What did we come up with?
Well, if you are a lemon lover, you are in for a treat!
Here’s a Pink Lemonade CREAM Bar that is to die for!

INTRODUCING…

SUMMER OF FUNNER’S

AMAZING PINK LEMONADE CREAM BARS

Print Recipe

AMAZING PINK LEMONADE CREAM BARS

inspired by Cook's Illustrated Key Lime Bars
makes 12 squares in an 8x8 pan [or 18 squares in an 11x7 pan, adjustments to ingredients for this size are listed in brackets]

Author: Roseanne Carrara, Summer of Funner

Ingredients

Cookie Base

• 5 [10] oz Barnum's Animal Crackers about 40 [80] crackers or 1 1/2 [3] cups
• 4 [8] tbs butter
• 3 [6] tbs brown sugar
• 1 pinch salt

Filling

• 3 [6] oz Cream cheese
• zest of 1 [2] large lemons
• 1 [2] large egg yolk
• 1 [2] can sweetened condensed milk
• One of the two following combinations:
• 3/8 [3/4] c lemon juice
• 1/8 [1/4] c pulverized raspberries run through a fine mesh strainer
• or
• 1/2 [1] cup lemon juice
• several drops of red or neon pink food colouring

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350
• Line your pan both horizontally and vertically with foil that overlaps the edges of the pan so that the bars may be easily removed from the pan.
• Spray foil-lined pan with baking spray, or butter and flour accordingly.
• Melt butter.
• Pulse the animal crackers in a food processor until ground.
• Add sugar and salt and pulse until combined.
• Add melted butter and pulse until combined.
• Press crust mixture into the lined pan and bake for 18-20 minutes or until just brown.
• If using Option 1: Prepare your raspberry juice by pulverizing raspberries in a food processor or blender and running the juice through a fine mesh strainer. Set aside.
• Prepare your lemon juice by juicing the lemons through a fine mesh strainer. [Add food colouring if using option 2.] Set aside.
• Combine the cream cheese and zest with a spatula.
• Add the sweetened condensed milk and whisk until smooth.
• Add the pulverized raspberries and lemon juice [or lemon juice and food colouring] and whisk until combined.
• Pour filling over top of the cookie crust and smooth with a spatula.
• Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until cream is set and edges begin to pull away from pan.
• Cool in pan for 30 minutes.
• Cool in refrigerator for 2-3 additional hours.
• Slice and enjoy!