Yield: 2 dozen lemon bars
INGREDIENTS
- Crust (see recipe below)
- 4 large eggs, beaten lightly
- 1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons finely-grated lemon zest (from two large lemons)
- 2/3 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice, strained
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Powdered (confectioner’s) sugar to decorate finished lemon bars
Crust:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- Extra softened butter for greasing pan
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to middle position.
- Prepare Crust and bake.
- While crust is baking, make the Lemon Filling:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and flour; stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, milk, and salt to blend well. Pour mixture onto top of the baked warm crust. You may set the prepared Lemon Filling aside until crust is finished baking. When ready to pour on warm crust, re-blend Lemon Filling mixture and pour into the warm crust.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the filling feels firm when touched lightly. Remove from oven and transfer the pan to a wire cooling rack and cool for 30 minutes.
- After cooling, grasp the parchment paper and carefully lift the bars onto a cutting board. Cut into serving size squares or bars. To cut the bars, do not make a sawing motion with your knife, instead make long, clean cuts the length of the pan. Wipe the knife clean by dipping it in hot water and wiping with a clean kitchen towel to dry between cuts.
- Sieve powdered or confectioners’ sugar over bars and serve. NOTE: The powdered sugar will start to be absorbed into the Lemon Filling after several hours, but it can be reapplied before serving.
Crust:
- Lightly butter a 13- x 9-inch baking dish and line with parchment paper or wax paper allowing edges to come over the sides.
- Pulse flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt in food processor. Add butter and blend, 8 to 10 seconds, and then pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle mixture into prepared baking pan and press firmly into an even layer with slightly raised sides to hold in the filling.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes and then bake until golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes; remove from oven, place on a wire cooling rack, and let cool slightly.
- After crust is finished baking, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
Storage: Three days at room temperature, three weeks refrigerated (individually wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent drying), or three months frozen.
Credits to: whatscookingamerica.net
