I love lemons.
I suppose that’s contradictory in this life, as we presume lemon experiences to be sour and acidic.
Not so, in my case. I’ll take any challenge (a lemon challenge) and flip flop it into a masterpiece.
I’d like to dream that to be the case.
We all have our own battles we fight day to day – but it’s not the battle the matters.
What matters is how we choose to respond to our challenges, accepting them, and then moving on.
Today, rather than lemonade, I opted to use my lemons for Lemon Tarragon Chèvre Cheesecake Bars.
They are pretty phenomenal.
Both tarragon and Chèvre can be somewhat abrasive and overwhelming flavors. However, when combined with JUST the right things and enough of my love of lemons, the flavor and aroma transforms into a subtle magnificence.
Lemon Tarragon Chèvre Cheesecake Bars
Crust:
9 large rectangles (18 squares) graham crackers
6 Tbs. butter, melted
Filling:
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
4 oz. Chèvre goat cheese
zest and juice of 1 lemon
15 oz. whole milk ricotta
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. fresh thyme tarragon leaves, minced
3 large eggs
Preheat oven to 375. Line an 8″ square pan with parchment and set aside.
In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers into a coarse crumb. Pour in melted butter. Pulse one or two more times until everything is incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and press it down firmly and evenly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Add the flour, sugar, salt, goat cheese, and lemon zest to the same food processor bowl and pulse it a few times to combine everything and break up the goat cheese Add the ricotta, lemon juice, vanilla, and fresh herbs, and process it until smooth. Next, with the processor running, add the eggs one at a time, processing a bit after each one.
Pour the mixture a top the refrigerated crust and bake for 30 minutes, until the outer edges are set but the center is still a little wobbly. Reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees and continue baking for another 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let completely at room temperature. Cover and chill for an hour or two, or overnight.
