Lemon Bars
User Reviews
4.9
Lemon Bars
Description
Lemon Bars feature a buttery, crumbly crust made from a mixture of all-purpose flour, sugar, cornstarch, and very cold butter, enhanced by an egg yolk and vanilla. The dough is pressed evenly into a parchment-lined baking pan and baked until lightly golden. The lemon curd topping is prepared with whole eggs, additional egg yolks, fresh lemon juice, granulated sugar, salt, and butter, creating a smooth, tangy custard-like layer when baked over the crust.
The method involves carefully pulsing the crust dough ingredients together to maintain its crumbly texture, then combining the curd ingredients and baking the assembled bars until set. The bars are cooled completely and lifted from the pan using the parchment overhang. A light dusting of powdered sugar balances the tartness of the lemon.
This dessert offers a balance of sweet and tart flavors with a firm but tender texture, suitable as a refreshing treat or elegant dessert. A food processor or pastry cutter can be used to prepare the crust, adapting to available kitchen tools.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 10 Tablespoons butter very cold and cut into small cubes, unsalted
- 1 egg large, yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Curd
- 2 large egg whole
- 4 large egg yolk
- ½ cup lemon juice fresh
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter cut into 8 pieces, unsalted
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325F (160C) and line a 9x9” square baking pan with enough parchment paper (do not use aluminum foil) so that some is hanging over the sides (you want to be able to lift the bars out of the pan once they’ve cooled completely).
- To prepare your cookie crust, combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in the basin of a food processor¹ and pulse until well combined.
- Scatter butter pieces evenly over the dry ingredients and pulse until the mixture just begins to clump together (about 10 1-second pulses). In a small dish, whisk together egg yolk and vanilla and pour over dry ingredients. Pulse again until mixture begins to cling together. It will still be crumbly, but if you press the dough together with your thumb and forefinger it should hold together (about 18 1-second pulses).
- Pour dough/crumbles into the bottom of your prepared pan and use your hands or the back of a spoon to press evenly into the bottom of the pan to form an even crust (I like to place a piece of wax paper over the dough and then smooth it with a spoon for an even layer, see my video for a visual of how I do this).
- Transfer to 325F (160C) oven and bake for 25 minutes or edges are beginning to turn light golden brown. While crust is baking, prepare your lemon topping.
Lemon Curd
- While the crust is baking, combine eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Add butter and transfer to the stovetop over medium/low heat. Stir constantly (do not let the curd boil) until thickened and mixture coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl.
- Once crust has finished baking, use a fork to poke holes over the crust, only piercing about halfway into the crust. Pour curd evenly over the surface of the crust and return to 325F (160C) oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until topping is set and only slightly jiggly in the center.
- Allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to fridge to cool completely, about 2 hours. Use the overhanging parchment to lift the bars out of the pan and then dust evenly with powdered sugar and cut into squares before serving.
Notes
- If you do not have a food processor, use a pastry cutter to mix the crust ingredients to coarse crumbs before adding the wet ingredients.
- Press the crust evenly into the pan to ensure uniform baking and structure.
- Line the pan with parchment paper overhanging the sides for easy removal of the lemon bars after cooling.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16bars
Amount Per Serving
Calories 257 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1slice | |
| Calories | 257kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 28g | 9% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 116mg | 39% |
| Sodium | 68mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 41mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 19g | 38% |
| Vitamin A | 508IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 17mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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