Char's Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Charski · 03-31-2011, 11:47 AM

I kinda played this one by ear and they turned out nicely!

Char's Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Crust

2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp. NuNaturals NuStevia 0 carb powder (or equivalent of about 1/4 cup sugar)
2 egg whites (save the yolks to add to the filling)
1 tablespoon SF French Vanilla syrup (such as Torani or DaVinci)

Cream Cheese filling

1 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
Add the two egg yolks leftover from making the crust
Juice of 1 medium lemon
1 cup granular Splenda (or equivalent of whatever sweetener you like)
1 Truvia packet
2 tablespoons SF French Vanilla syrup

Topping

3/4 cup SF lemon curd (storebought or homemade, recipe follows)
1 egg yolk

Preheat oven to 350* and spray an 8 x 8" baking pan with cooking spray

Mix together crust ingredients and press into pan evenly. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a mixer, beat filling ingredients together til smooth. When crust is baked, remove from oven and spread the cream cheese filling evenly to the edges - bake 10 minutes.

AND while THAT is happening - mix the lemon curd with the egg yolk. When the filling is set and doesn't jiggle in the middle, remove pan from oven and carefully spread the lemon curd mixture over the topping clear out to the edges of the pan. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes or til set.

Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack to room temp, then refrigerate.

Easy Microwave Lemon Curd

1 cup granular Splenda or equivalent of whatever sweetener you like (I happened to use one of my hoarded QuickPacks)
3 eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons (yellow part only) - use a microplane grater or the finest grating holes on a box grater for this
1/2 cup butter, cut into about 1/2" cubes

In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sweetener and eggs until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest Add the chunks of butter and stir just to coat. Microwave on High power for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the microwave, let cool, then store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

litehousepat · 03-31-2011, 01:31 PM

They look beautiful! You're such a talented lady!

Pat

ggoranson · 03-31-2011, 01:40 PM

How may carbs?

fourstubbs · 03-31-2011, 01:40 PM

Thanks Char! Dh loves any lemon dessert he can get his hands on...

CarolynF · 03-31-2011, 01:50 PM

I have to make some HC lemon bars for a shower on Saturday..I should have bought more lemons for a LC version for me later on.

Charski · 03-31-2011, 01:52 PM

ggoranson, I'm sorry, I don't know. I am in maintenance so I just stick to the ingredients I know I can use. I don't have the software that will answer that question easily!

Jennifer Eloff · 03-31-2011, 05:26 PM

Beautiful, Char! If you tell me the serving size (i.e. how many servings - 20 or 25), I can probably work out the carbs if I get a moment tomorrow.

Charski · 03-31-2011, 07:23 PM

Jen, you're a doll! I cut that into 16 bars. THANK YOU and I owe ya one!

drjlocarb · 04-01-2011, 05:52 AM

Man, oh man, those look so good.

Jennifer Eloff · 04-01-2011, 12:23 PM

Ah, no problem, Char.

16 servings = 3.5 g carbs (pretty good - large serving size). I only counted 1 cup of Splenda Granular, but you can take off another 1.5 g carbs if you use all carb-free sweeteners in place of Splenda Granular - such as the quick pack, erythritol, stevia, or whatever.

Charski · 04-01-2011, 01:22 PM

THANK YOU Jen!

You wouldn't happen to have calculated the calories as well??? (hides sheepishly....)

fourstubbs · 04-01-2011, 01:38 PM

that is not a bad carb count for those beauties!!! Have I told you lately how much I love you Char??

Charski · 04-01-2011, 01:56 PM

I love YOU TOO, Mary!!

pooticus · 04-01-2011, 03:00 PM

Char they look fabulous lady!!!!!

Love the microwave lemon curd recipe! Can't wait to make it.

How many minutes total did you nuke it for?

Charski · 04-01-2011, 03:46 PM

Pooti, it literally takes like 3 minutes, if that. Just watch it closely so it doesn't curdle the egg!

The original recipe I got (the sugar-laden one) called for melting the butter first, but it's not necessary - the chunks of butter melt very quickly and incorporate just fine. I'm all for "less is better!" when it comes to prepping things in the kitchen! (Or anywhere else for that matter...

Yeah, I'm lazy.)

Charski · 04-01-2011, 03:47 PM

Oh and BTW - that's the same lemon curd recipe I used to make the lime curd first, and next lemon curd, for the Danish. The lime curd requires more sweetener though or it's pretty puckery!

debkeversole · 04-01-2011, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charski

I kinda played this one by ear and they turned out nicely!

Char's Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Crust

2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 tsp. NuNaturals NuStevia 0 carb powder (or equivalent of about 1/4 cup sugar)
2 egg whites (save the yokes to add to the filling)
1 tablespoon SF French Vanilla syrup (such as Torani or DaVinci)

Cream Cheese filling

1 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened
Add the two egg yolks leftover from making the crust
Juice of 1 medium lemon
1 cup granular Splenda (or equivalent of whatever sweetener you like)
1 Truvia packet
2 tablespoons SF French Vanilla syrup

Topping

3/4 cup SF lemon curd (storebought or homemade, recipe follows)
1 egg yolk

Preheat oven to 350* and spray an 8 x 8" baking pan with cooking spray

Mix together crust ingredients and press into pan evenly. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a mixer, beat filling ingredients together til smooth. When crust is baked, remove from oven and spread the cream cheese filling evenly to the edges - bake 10 minutes.

AND while THAT is happening - mix the lemon curd with the egg yolk. When the filling is set and doesn't jiggle in the middle, remove pan from oven and carefully spread the lemon curd mixture over the topping clear out to the edges of the pan. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes or til set.

Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack to room temp, then refrigerate.

Easy Microwave Lemon Curd

1 cup granular Splenda or equivalent of whatever sweetener you like (I happened to use one of my hoarded QuickPacks)
3 eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons (yellow part only) - use a microplane grater or the finest grating holes on a box grater for this
1/2 cup butter, cut into about 1/2" cubes

In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sweetener and eggs until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest Add the chunks of butter and stir just to coat. Microwave on High power for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the microwave, let cool, then store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

yum! DROOL!

Jennifer Eloff · 04-01-2011, 05:03 PM

Char - 201.2 calories Worth every penny, I mean calorie!!

rosethorns · 04-01-2011, 05:10 PM

I love lemon Char. They look super. Good calorie and carb count.I remember in 2003 when we were trying to finger out how to make lemon and lime curd. I crave that stuff.
Yummy. Fantastic lady.

Charski · 04-01-2011, 06:12 PM

Jen, THANK YOU AGAIN! You da best, Lady!

Esther, this is so dang easy it's almost funny! I had made the lemon curd a week ago to make the Danish, and was looking for something interesting to do with what was left - hence the experiment, which I must say, turned out rather well! DH is in heaven.

Like Mary's DH, mine loves anything lemon too!

jigglenomore · 04-02-2011, 09:03 AM

Dear Charski,

(and if I had any more little guys to stick on here, I would!!)...

Thanks so much for this one!

Sister · 04-02-2011, 10:16 AM

I just made my husband the regular homemade lemon bars last week (I resisted eating any), so these will replace that recipe in my household! He doesn't need the extra sugar either, but can use more calories. We are like Mr & Mrs Jack Sprat in our house!

christyjo · 04-05-2011, 04:15 PM

Amazing! Super lemonylicious yummy. It also forced me to make a pound cake. One of DH's fave treats used to be pound cake with lemon pudding on top. Since I now had some extra lemon curd, I made the cake, its cooling now. We meet friends on Tuesdays for wings, and I use them as my tasters. So far the wing nuts and the server there have placed a tie between my pies and the cherry danish as best. I think they will be really in for a treat with these bars. If my cake is passable they may get a taste of that too with Char's lemon curd too.

Thanks Char for a real keeper!

christyjo

Charski · 04-05-2011, 07:02 PM

Christyjo, how fun to have "taste testers" - LOL!

I took the lemon bars to my old office and everybody loved them. They're not true LCers either, although they do mostly go sugarfree and reduce some carbs.

Can't wait to hear the report!

christyjo · 04-06-2011, 05:19 AM

These were a hit! We ended up passing on wings and going to our fave steak place, but I schlepped my box of treats in and shared them with the bar staff and the chef. They liked the cake too, but I am sure I saw one of the guys licking the foil cupcake liner I put the lemon bar in. I had put the lemon curd in a dish to top the cake with, and even the extra was polished off with spoons! The wingnuts will have to wait for the next experiment.

Do you think the curd recipe could be doubled?

Thanks Char!

christyjo

Charski · 04-06-2011, 07:32 AM

I don't see why not, CJ - give it a try and report back!

Glad they were a hit. We love 'em!

fourstubbs · 04-06-2011, 01:47 PM

Char... now you're even MORE famous!!!

That Girl · 04-06-2011, 06:04 PM

Do you know how many lemons you had to use to get the one cup of liquid for the lemon curd? I have been avoiding lemon because I thought the counts were too high...do you think I could sub the bottled lemon juice? I assume the amounts would remain the same right? Ack!!!! Sorry for all the questions! Thanks!

Charski · 04-06-2011, 07:23 PM

Bella, I think it was 4 lemons, but I'd not bet my life on it!

I have a Meyer lemon tree in my yard so I just wander out and pluck some and if I need more I wander back out there. They're pretty good-sized lemons.

I'm sure you could use the bottled stuff, although fresh tastes so much better IMHO.

This makes about a cup and a half, maybe two cups, of lemon curd, so you're not gonna eat the whole thing in one sitting (are you?!

) - a couple tablespoons at most, so the carbs per serving shouldn't be too bad. I use 1 tablespoon in each of the Danish when I make them and it's plenty.

The lemon bars, the curd is spread out over the whole pan, so it's not a lot of carbs there either. Worth it for sure!

Charski · 04-06-2011, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourstubbs

Char... now you're even MORE famous!!!

Wha??? Wait - I'm FAMOUS?!

I dunno about that!!

though!

03-31-2011, 11:47 AM	#1
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,831 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	Char's Lemon Cheesecake Bars I kinda played this one by ear and they turned out nicely! Char's Lemon Cheesecake Bars Crust 2 cups blanched almond flour 1/4 tsp. NuNaturals NuStevia 0 carb powder (or equivalent of about 1/4 cup sugar) 2 egg whites (save the yolks to add to the filling) 1 tablespoon SF French Vanilla syrup (such as Torani or DaVinci) Cream Cheese filling 1 8 oz. block cream cheese, softened Add the two egg yolks leftover from making the crust Juice of 1 medium lemon 1 cup granular Splenda (or equivalent of whatever sweetener you like) 1 Truvia packet 2 tablespoons SF French Vanilla syrup Topping 3/4 cup SF lemon curd (storebought or homemade, recipe follows) 1 egg yolk Preheat oven to 350* and spray an 8 x 8" baking pan with cooking spray Mix together crust ingredients and press into pan evenly. Bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, using a mixer, beat filling ingredients together til smooth. When crust is baked, remove from oven and spread the cream cheese filling evenly to the edges - bake 10 minutes. AND while THAT is happening - mix the lemon curd with the egg yolk. When the filling is set and doesn't jiggle in the middle, remove pan from oven and carefully spread the lemon curd mixture over the topping clear out to the edges of the pan. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes or til set. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack to room temp, then refrigerate. Easy Microwave Lemon Curd 1 cup granular Splenda or equivalent of whatever sweetener you like (I happened to use one of my hoarded QuickPacks) 3 eggs 1 cup fresh lemon juice Zest of 2 lemons (yellow part only) - use a microplane grater or the finest grating holes on a box grater for this 1/2 cup butter, cut into about 1/2" cubes In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sweetener and eggs until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest Add the chunks of butter and stir just to coat. Microwave on High power for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the microwave, let cool, then store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

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03-31-2011, 01:31 PM	#2
litehousepat Senior LCF Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 138 Gallery: litehousepat	They look beautiful! You're such a talented lady! Pat

03-31-2011, 01:40 PM	#3
ggoranson Junior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: colorado Posts: 1 Gallery: ggoranson WOE: Atkins Start Date: March 1, 2011	How may carbs?

03-31-2011, 01:40 PM	#4
fourstubbs Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The Last Frontier Posts: 1,925 Gallery: fourstubbs Stats: 225/220/142.3/135 WOE: IDEAL PROTEIN Start Date: Restart July 2012	Thanks Char! Dh loves any lemon dessert he can get his hands on...

03-31-2011, 01:50 PM	#5
CarolynF Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Kansas Posts: 36,825 Gallery: CarolynF Stats: 195/141/139 WOE: Eat Fat, Get Thin Start Date: January 2001	I have to make some HC lemon bars for a shower on Saturday..I should have bought more lemons for a LC version for me later on.

03-31-2011, 01:52 PM	#6
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,831 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	ggoranson, I'm sorry, I don't know. I am in maintenance so I just stick to the ingredients I know I can use. I don't have the software that will answer that question easily!

03-31-2011, 05:26 PM	#7
Jennifer Eloff Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Tropics Posts: 3,075 Gallery: Jennifer Eloff WOE: Atkins/Moderate Carbs Start Date: 1999	Beautiful, Char! If you tell me the serving size (i.e. how many servings - 20 or 25), I can probably work out the carbs if I get a moment tomorrow.

03-31-2011, 07:23 PM	#8
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,831 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	Jen, you're a doll! I cut that into 16 bars. THANK YOU and I owe ya one!

04-01-2011, 05:52 AM	#9
drjlocarb Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 4,160 Gallery: drjlocarb Stats: 274/231/190 WOE: vlc/NK Start Date: 1999,2003,2007,jan2010	Man, oh man, those look so good.

04-01-2011, 12:23 PM	#10
Jennifer Eloff Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Tropics Posts: 3,075 Gallery: Jennifer Eloff WOE: Atkins/Moderate Carbs Start Date: 1999	Ah, no problem, Char. 16 servings = 3.5 g carbs (pretty good - large serving size). I only counted 1 cup of Splenda Granular, but you can take off another 1.5 g carbs if you use all carb-free sweeteners in place of Splenda Granular - such as the quick pack, erythritol, stevia, or whatever.

04-01-2011, 01:22 PM	#11
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,831 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	THANK YOU Jen! You wouldn't happen to have calculated the calories as well??? (hides sheepishly....)

04-01-2011, 01:38 PM	#12
fourstubbs Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The Last Frontier Posts: 1,925 Gallery: fourstubbs Stats: 225/220/142.3/135 WOE: IDEAL PROTEIN Start Date: Restart July 2012	that is not a bad carb count for those beauties!!! Have I told you lately how much I love you Char??

04-01-2011, 01:56 PM	#13
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,831 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	I love YOU TOO, Mary!!

04-01-2011, 03:00 PM	#14
pooticus Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: May 2004 Location: somewhere over the rainbow Posts: 21,049 Gallery: pooticus Stats: 314/220.4/150 WOE: PersonalPlan Start Date: Nov.20, 2007 (restart)	Char they look fabulous lady!!!!! Love the microwave lemon curd recipe! Can't wait to make it. How many minutes total did you nuke it for?

04-01-2011, 03:46 PM	#15
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,831 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	Pooti, it literally takes like 3 minutes, if that. Just watch it closely so it doesn't curdle the egg! The original recipe I got (the sugar-laden one) called for melting the butter first, but it's not necessary - the chunks of butter melt very quickly and incorporate just fine. I'm all for "less is better!" when it comes to prepping things in the kitchen! (Or anywhere else for that matter... Yeah, I'm lazy.)

04-01-2011, 03:47 PM	#16
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,831 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	Oh and BTW - that's the same lemon curd recipe I used to make the lime curd first, and next lemon curd, for the Danish. The lime curd requires more sweetener though or it's pretty puckery!

04-01-2011, 05:03 PM	#18
Jennifer Eloff Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Tropics Posts: 3,075 Gallery: Jennifer Eloff WOE: Atkins/Moderate Carbs Start Date: 1999	Char - 201.2 calories Worth every penny, I mean calorie!!

04-01-2011, 05:10 PM	#19
rosethorns Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Puyallup. WA Posts: 4,515 Gallery: rosethorns Stats: 252/140/150 WOE: atkins I eat non allergic food Start Date: restarted 1-07	I love lemon Char. They look super. Good calorie and carb count.I remember in 2003 when we were trying to finger out how to make lemon and lime curd. I crave that stuff. Yummy. Fantastic lady.

04-01-2011, 06:12 PM	#20
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,831 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	Jen, THANK YOU AGAIN! You da best, Lady! Esther, this is so dang easy it's almost funny! I had made the lemon curd a week ago to make the Danish, and was looking for something interesting to do with what was left - hence the experiment, which I must say, turned out rather well! DH is in heaven. Like Mary's DH, mine loves anything lemon too!

04-02-2011, 09:03 AM	#21
jigglenomore Senior LCF Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: SW Missouri Ozarks Posts: 986 Gallery: jigglenomore Stats: Mac Truck/Small SUV/Mini-Cooper WOE: Atkins/South Beach/Low Glycemic/Voodoo	Dear Charski, (and if I had any more little guys to stick on here, I would!!)... Thanks so much for this one!

04-02-2011, 10:16 AM	#22
Sister Senior LCF Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: W. Michigan Posts: 116 Gallery: Sister WOE: Atkins 72 Start Date: 02/10/13 restart	I just made my husband the regular homemade lemon bars last week (I resisted eating any), so these will replace that recipe in my household! He doesn't need the extra sugar either, but can use more calories. We are like Mr & Mrs Jack Sprat in our house!

04-05-2011, 04:15 PM	#23
christyjo Senior LCF Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 228 Gallery: christyjo WOE: low carb Start Date: restart 8/08	Amazing! Super lemonylicious yummy. It also forced me to make a pound cake. One of DH's fave treats used to be pound cake with lemon pudding on top. Since I now had some extra lemon curd, I made the cake, its cooling now. We meet friends on Tuesdays for wings, and I use them as my tasters. So far the wing nuts and the server there have placed a tie between my pies and the cherry danish as best. I think they will be really in for a treat with these bars. If my cake is passable they may get a taste of that too with Char's lemon curd too. Thanks Char for a real keeper! christyjo

04-05-2011, 07:02 PM	#24
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,831 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	Christyjo, how fun to have "taste testers" - LOL! I took the lemon bars to my old office and everybody loved them. They're not true LCers either, although they do mostly go sugarfree and reduce some carbs. Can't wait to hear the report!

04-06-2011, 05:19 AM	#25
christyjo Senior LCF Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 228 Gallery: christyjo WOE: low carb Start Date: restart 8/08	These were a hit! We ended up passing on wings and going to our fave steak place, but I schlepped my box of treats in and shared them with the bar staff and the chef. They liked the cake too, but I am sure I saw one of the guys licking the foil cupcake liner I put the lemon bar in. I had put the lemon curd in a dish to top the cake with, and even the extra was polished off with spoons! The wingnuts will have to wait for the next experiment. Do you think the curd recipe could be doubled? Thanks Char! christyjo

04-06-2011, 07:32 AM	#26
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,831 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	I don't see why not, CJ - give it a try and report back! Glad they were a hit. We love 'em!

04-06-2011, 01:47 PM	#27
fourstubbs Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The Last Frontier Posts: 1,925 Gallery: fourstubbs Stats: 225/220/142.3/135 WOE: IDEAL PROTEIN Start Date: Restart July 2012	Char... now you're even MORE famous!!!

04-06-2011, 06:04 PM	#28
That Girl Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 2,381 Gallery: That Girl	Do you know how many lemons you had to use to get the one cup of liquid for the lemon curd? I have been avoiding lemon because I thought the counts were too high...do you think I could sub the bottled lemon juice? I assume the amounts would remain the same right? Ack!!!! Sorry for all the questions! Thanks!

04-06-2011, 07:23 PM	#29
Charski Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Mostly in the kitchen! Posts: 33,831 Gallery: Charski Stats: 174 (WW)/139/150 goal 5'5" 59 years YOUNG! WOE: ATKINS always Start Date: May 2003	Bella, I think it was 4 lemons, but I'd not bet my life on it! I have a Meyer lemon tree in my yard so I just wander out and pluck some and if I need more I wander back out there. They're pretty good-sized lemons. I'm sure you could use the bottled stuff, although fresh tastes so much better IMHO. This makes about a cup and a half, maybe two cups, of lemon curd, so you're not gonna eat the whole thing in one sitting (are you?! ) - a couple tablespoons at most, so the carbs per serving shouldn't be too bad. I use 1 tablespoon in each of the Danish when I make them and it's plenty. The lemon bars, the curd is spread out over the whole pan, so it's not a lot of carbs there either. Worth it for sure!