Mmmm… lemon. Love it! Lemon adds so much to so many dishes. But I love recipes where lemon is the star, like in these lemon bars. I’ve made a few lemon bars over the years, from a variety of recipes. Some have turned out, well, not so great. Sometimes the lemon just doesn’t come through (at least not enough for me!). Sometimes the custard is a bit too liquidy (is that even a word?). Or sometimes it’s a bit starchy and cloudy. So the search continued, until, this recipe. It’s a big recipe, for a crowd, or for a big lemon-loving family. But I actually doubled a small recipe, so feel free to cut it in half and bake in an 8×8 pan. . . or maybe a 9×9 pan. I can’t remember exactly how I made it the first time. But when I have a lot of lemons, might as well use them. And it IS citrus season here in Northern California. Yay!
So there’s nothing really difficult about this, but it does take some time. You want to be ready with all your filling ingredients so you can quickly mix it up while the crust is pre-baking. While you can add filling to a cold pre-baked crust, I find if you pour the filling over a warm crust soon after the pre-baking stage, it helps the filling adhere to the crust, and shortens the baking time.
You’re going to want to have your eggs at room temperature (if you’re in a hurry place cold eggs still in their shells in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes). Also, I suggest having your lemon zest and juice ready to go before you bake the crust, because I find the zesting and juicing is always more time consuming than I expect it to be. I don’t know about you but I always under-estimate how much time this will take.
Oh, and please only use fresh juice here… not the bottled stuff. The fresh flavor really makes a difference.
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These super lemony bars are for those who really like some tart lemon flavor that stands out more than the sugary sweetness. It’s a great dessert to make ahead (like the day before) as it needs to chill at least a couple hours before serving.
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 2 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces (3/4 cup) melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Lemon Filling
- 3 cups white granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 4-5 small lemons)
- 1/2 cup flour
- Pinch of salt (1/8 teaspoon)
- 8 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4 to 5 small lemons)
TOPPING
- Additional powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9×13 baking dish and line it with parchment paper, allowing the paper to fold over the outside of the dish (this makes it easier to remove the baked bars).
- Make your crust: Mix the 2 1/2 cups of flour with the powdered sugar and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer. Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix at med-low speed until well combined. It will look very crumbly.
- Transfer the crust mixture into your baking pan and using your fingers and/or the flat bottom of a drinking glass, press it down into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for about 18-22 minutes or until it is a light golden color.
- Make the filling while the crust is pre-baking: Mix the sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl with a whisk or in a food processor to make sure the zest is well distributed.
- Add the 1/2 cup flour and pinch of salt to the lemon infused sugar and mix well.
- Whisk or beat in lemon juice and eggs until the mixture is well blended.
- Pour filling over the warm crust, then bake for about 22 to 28 minutes or until the filling looks fairly solid and doesn’t jiggle too much if you shake the pan gently. Place on a cooling rack and allow to come to room temperature (about an hour). Then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for another few hours or until completely cold.
- Dust with powdered sugar and remove from the pan using the overhanging edges of parchment paper as a handle. Place on a large cutting board and cut into individual bars. Enjoy!
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