Healthy Cookie-dough Lemon Bars

Have you tried lemon desserts yet? If not, start with this healthy lemon bars recipe. It's light, tangy, non-sickeningly sweet like most lemon desserts and is such a guiltless pleasure. I know chocolate is the main go-to dessert for everyone, but it sometimes calls for non-chocolate ones. As I'm not really a cream-dessert kinda gal, I'm more inclined to fruity treats. They are generally a bit lighter than normal desserts, taking most of their sweetness and flavor from all-natural fruits. I've made a Weight Watchers lemon bars recipe before,which I didn't really like, so I decided to pursue my own.
Here is my humble attempt at healthy lemon bars, with a fiber-full crust and a rich lemony topping.
Note: I didn't sprinkle my lemon cubes in the below picture with sugar/coconut. The white surface is just the light froth from beating the lemon.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup bran
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar


Lemon Topping:

4 eggs
4 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. sugar substitute (I use Z Sweet)1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated

Powdered sugar for topping, or shredded coconut (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius.
2. Prepare a small baking dish with cooking spray, or 2 overlapping parchment papers for easy removal from the dish.
3. Mix dry ingredients of the crust together. 
4. In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, egg and oil until well combined. 
5. Add dry mix to wet mix and mix until everything is incorporated in the dough.
6. Press the dough into baking dish and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
7. While crust is baking, prepare lemon topping. Beat eggs in a medium bowl. Add sugar, honey, lemon juice, cornstarch, baking powder and lemon zest and stir until well mixed. 
8. Pour egg mixture over baked crust. Return pan to oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes (do not overbake)
9. Cut into cubes while still warm. Sprinkle powdered sugar/ shredded coconut when cooled. Yields 24 cubes.
10. Serve in room temperature or cold.