Citrus-Topped Poppy Seed Bars

Citrus-Topped Poppy seed bars

I’m feeling wistful today. Maybe because Mother’s Day is approaching and for the first time in years, I won’t be at the same table as the Woman Who Gave Me Life. (Don’t panic. My mother is alive and well. I’m observing pandemic protocols and will visit via Zoom.)

Maybe the Easy Orange Buttercream Icing jostled a memory. Or perhaps a recollection surfaced when I found a long-forgotten container of poppy seeds while rearranging the freezer.

Regardless, this recipe has been floating about my brain for the past few days. And with it a bittersweet mix of joy and loss. Forgive me. But these are unusual times.

Growing up, various homemade after-school treats cycled through popularity in our house. Coconut Oatmeal Cookies would appear day after day on end, then Orange Raisin Muffins would take a turn. For a while, these Poppy Seed Bars were the darling of the 4 o’clock snack attack. Until they weren’t.

I loved these bars for their tangy lemon icing and crunchy seeds — even if they did get stuck in my braces. I’m not sure why Mom retired the recipe, but it never fails to make me feel like a kid again.

While I don’t miss the braces, I do miss bursting in the door and heading straight to the cupboard to see what treats were there for the raiding. I miss being oblivious to physical distance (until a sibling got in my personal space) or worrying if I’d brought home germs. As a distracted kid who never kept her hands still, I’m sure I left a path of bugs and dirt and endless frustration for my mom to clean up.

This year, I’ll stay home, wash my hands, visit virtually, and relive the simpler times one seed-studded bar at a time.

Citrus-Topped Poppy Seed Bars

• Author: Charmian Christie
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 20
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 32 bars 1x
• Category: Baking
• Method: Easy

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Description

These bars are not too sweet —  until you factor in the icing — and use no dairy — until you factor in the icing.

 

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

Poppy Seed Bars

2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup poppy seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Icing

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
Finely grated zest of 1 navel orange (about 2 tablespoons)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
3 cups sifted icing sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
Generous pinch fine sea salt
Poppy seeds for garnish

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Instructions

Bars

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°F). Line a 9- X 13-inch pan (23 X 33 cm) with parchment so it overhangs on the ends for easy removal.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium until well blended. Gradually beat in the sugar until combined. Add the oil and vanilla and beat 1 to 2 minutes, or until light.

In a small bowl, whisk the flours, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt until combined. Using a spoon or the stand mixer set on low, stir the flour into the egg mixture.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan. It will not be deep. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the middle springs back when lightly touched. Leave the bars to cool in the pan. Once the bars are cool, remove them from the pan using the parchment overhang and make the icing.

Icing

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, orange zest and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Turn the speed to low and gradually blend in the icing sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, and salt. Increase the speed to high and beat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until very light and fluffy.

Spread the icing evenly over the cooled bars, and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

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Notes

If you like less icing, spread the icing thinly and freeze the excess for the next time. Let the icing set before cutting into bars.

Bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week or frozen for up to 2 months.

Because of their high oil content, poppy seeds go rancid fairly quickly. To ensure you always have a usable supply on hand, store them in the freezer. They’ll keep for up to a year.

A version of this recipe appears in The Messy Baker: More than 75 Delicious Recipes from a Real Kitchen by Charmian Christie. Published by HarperCollins ©2014.

Keywords: bars, squares, icing, poppy seeds, easy, baking,