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Lemon bars

Gorgeous Lemon Bars Recipe

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Ingredients

Scale

For the Crust:

  • 4 1/2 oz (1 C) all-purpose flour
  • 2 oz (1/2 C) powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much
  • 1/8 oz (1 Tbspfresh lemon zest
  • 4 oz (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/4” dice

Crust ingredients

 

For the Custard:

  • 9 1/2 oz (1 1/3 Cgranulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, cold
  • 4 3/4 oz (1/2 C) egg yolks, from about 8 large eggs
  • 1/4 oz (1 packed Tbsp) fresh lemon zest
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • 11 oz (1 1/3 C) lemon juice, from about 8 large lemons (fresh really is much better than bottled lemon juice for this application)

Custard ingredients

Also: more powdered sugar for dusting and any garnishes you like.


Instructions

Make the lemon bar crust

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
  • Combine all the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse about a dozen times until it forms a coarse meal.
  • Line an 8″ x 8″ cake pan (non-stick preferred) with parchment paper that hangs over the edges.
  • Pour the crust-mix into the pan, shake it to level it, and press the crumbs down with your fingers. Try to even out any uneven spots.

Making the crust

  • Bake the crust for 30 minutes, until golden brown and delicious smelling.

Shortbread crust for lemon bars

Make the lemon custard

  • When there are about 10 minutes left on your crust timer, start making the custard.
  • Whisk together the sugar, eggs, yolks, salt, and zest in a 4-quart saucepan with a heavy bottom.
  • Once well combined, whisk in the lemon juice.

Making the lemon custard

 

 

  • Turn the heat on low and heat, stirring gently, until just warm to the touch (3–4 minutes)
  • Increase the heat to medium-low and start temping with your Thermapen ONE as you continue to stir, scraping the bottom of the pot.
  • When the custard reaches 170°F (77°C), after 8–9 minutes, remove it from heat.
  • The crust should have come out of the oven by now, so strain the custard right onto the crust.

Temping and straining lemon custard

Bake and chill the lemon bars

  • Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in the same oven for 10 minutes.
Baking lemon bars
About halfway there…
  • Remove the pan from the oven, uncover, and allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Re-cover with foil and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  • Lift the bars from the pan using the overhanging parchment paper

De-panning and slicing the lemon bars

  • Slice with a sharp knife, dust with powdered sugar, and serve!

A plated lemon bar