Lemon Bars

  • I am thoroughly shocked with myself that I haven’t put up a lemon bar post prior to this one, since they are a Top 10 Dessert in my (dessert-obsessed and convoluted) mind.

    I am also thoroughly ashamed with myself that I haven’t been a better wife to The Husband, who has made it clear to me from Day One 15+ years ago that he thoroughly loves lemon bars.  So how is it that lemon bars have fallen out of my rotation?  I don’t have an answer.  I have been busy baking… other things.  And to his credit, The Husband hasn’t whined about not having lemon bars to wolf down after finishing his half of the bottle of wine after dinner.  (That’s because he was too busy whining all summer about my need to make him a “proper pie”, as chronicled in the Proper Peach Pie post.)

    S0 in the spirit of our anniversary, I’m going full tilt- I’m pulling out the big guns with this recipe.  It so beats the Lemon Cornmeal Shortbread Tart (that’s pretty freaking acceptable in its own right).  I’m gaining his full affection back through a simple buttery crust (that’s somehow flaky and soft and crumbly and so right all at the same time) covered in a thick layer of creamy, gooey, lemony lemon.  Oh, and a sprinkling of icing sugar on top, just to cut through the tartness.

    Adapted from Martha Stewart’s recipe…

    CRUST:
    1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
    1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1 cup all-purpose flour
    LEMON FILLING:
    4 egg yolks
    1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
    3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
    1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)

    1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Line an 8-inch square baking pan with tin foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter foil or spray well with non-stick spray.
    2. CRUST: In a medium bowl, beat butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy.  Add flour, and mix on low just until combined. Press dough into the bottom and slightly up the sides of prepared pan.  Prick dough all over with a fork.  Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes.  (Crust might puff slightly.)
    3. FILLING: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and zest.  Pour over hot crust in pan; return to oven, and bake until filling is set, about 25 minutes.  Cool completely in pan on a cooling rack.
    4. Refrigerate until filling is firm, about 2 hours.  Transfer foil (or parchment)-lined bars onto a cutting board, and cut into bars.  Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and indulge.

    Tips:

    • The crust is a tad goopy when pressing into the pan- just a fair warning.  Using lightly damp hands helps to pat it down evenly.  Also- who cares if it’s not perfectly even on the bottom of the pan?  I don’t.
    • Tart vs. Sweet:  yeah, it’s a tough one.  If you’re baking for a crowd, you might want to use a touch less lemon zest.  If you know that the Special Somone in your life likes the lemon in the lemon dessert, then up the zest.  Your call.
    • Sugar notes:  don’t sprinkle the sugar on until you serve the bars, or it will sort of melt into the liquid on the top of the squares.  (Put the icing sugar in a sieve and sprinkle neatly- word to the wise.)
    • Freeze-friendly?  I freeze lemon bars all the time.  Just wrap well and do it.  (But don’t expect them to thaw well in the microwave, unless you like liquid lemon.  Thaw in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours.)

     

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    October 19th, 2012 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: ,

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