Lemon Bars
An old favourite, one that never gets passe - a shortbread with a bright lemon curd, so easy to nosh with a cup of tea. Even better, you can freeze them to satisfy emergency sugar urges. If you can find them, use Meyer lemons, which are a hybrid of regular lemon and mandarin orange - in other words, the best of both fruits. You've likely got a few versions in your recipe collection. This one is slightly adapted (longer baking time) from Epicurious.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp powdered sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp salt plus more
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces or 227 grams) very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 to 2 teaspoons ice water
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest (Meyer or regular)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (Meyer or regular) This recipe took 4 Meyer lemons
Method
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving 1" of overhang on the two long sides.
By hand with a pastry cutter, or using a food processor, cut or pulse 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, and the salt. Add the butter and cut or pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
Add the ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry. Press the dough firmly (using your hands or an implement) into the bottom of the prepared pan, snugging it up against the inside edges.
Bake the crust for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Set pan on a wire rack to cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 300°.
While the crust is baking, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until well combined and pale in colour.
Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice. Stir in the zest, juice, and the remaining 1/4 cup flour, and a pinch of salt.
Pour the topping over the warm crust. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, or until set. Jiggle the baking dish to see if the middle is set. If not, leave in the oven for another few minutes.
Set the pan on a rack to cool. When the dish is completely cool, dust it with remaining the 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
Cut the dessert into squares. Remove the squares by lifting the parchment paper at the edges. They will separate neatly.
An old favourite, one that never gets passe - a shortbread with a bright lemon curd, so easy to nosh with a cup of tea. Even better, you can freeze them to satisfy emergency sugar urges. If you can find them, use Meyer lemons, which are a hybrid of regular lemon and mandarin orange - in other words, the best of both fruits. You've likely got a few versions in your recipe collection. This one is slightly adapted (longer baking time) from Epicurious.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp powdered sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp salt plus more
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces or 227 grams) very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 to 2 teaspoons ice water
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest (Meyer or regular)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (Meyer or regular) This recipe took 4 Meyer lemons
Method
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving 1" of overhang on the two long sides.
By hand with a pastry cutter, or using a food processor, cut or pulse 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, and the salt. Add the butter and cut or pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
Add the ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry. Press the dough firmly (using your hands or an implement) into the bottom of the prepared pan, snugging it up against the inside edges.
Bake the crust for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Set pan on a wire rack to cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 300°.
While the crust is baking, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until well combined and pale in colour.
Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice. Stir in the zest, juice, and the remaining 1/4 cup flour, and a pinch of salt.
Pour the topping over the warm crust. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, or until set. Jiggle the baking dish to see if the middle is set. If not, leave in the oven for another few minutes.
Set the pan on a rack to cool. When the dish is completely cool, dust it with remaining the 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
Cut the dessert into squares. Remove the squares by lifting the parchment paper at the edges. They will separate neatly.