I probably make too many lemon-flavored desserts, but can’t stop won’t stop! Lemon is my favorite savor when it comes to dessert considering I love the unrelatedness between the sweet and tart flavors. And this easy recipe for Lemon Bars is the perfect way to get that sweet-tart fix. I tested this recipe several times to get it just the way I like it—a rich and velvety shortbread husks topped with a thick and custardy, sweet and tart, lemon-licious filling. Hello gorgeous!
What’s in a Lemon Bar?
If you’ve never had lemon bars, you are in for a TREAT! This simple yet wondrous dessert starts with a simple shortbread husks (butter flour sugar salt). Next we whip up a simple lemon custard, which is made with lemons, eggs, flour, and sugar. Pour the custard onto the crust, torch until it’s set, and BOOM. It’s really that simple! The custard starts as a liquid and then thickens as it bakes so they’re soft but sliceable once cooled.
Can I use Bottled Lemon Juice?
I chose to use fresh lemons for this recipe considering I wanted the FULL lemon experience. Fresh lemons will requite you the most intense lemon savor considering not only will the juice be fresh but you’ll be worldly-wise to use the lemon zest, which really boosts the lemon savor without making it uneaten sour. Using juice and zest is like a one-two savor punch! You won’t get savor as intense with bottled juice, but I can’t say that I’d turn lanugo a lemon bar made with bottled juice. 😏
Can you Freeze Lemon Bars?
YES! That’s one of the weightier features of this recipe. If you don’t plan to eat your lemon bars within a few days, make sure to freeze some! To freeze your lemon bars, let them nippy completely in the refrigerator, then transfer them to a parchment-lined sultry sheet (each square separated) and freeze until solid. Once frozen, wrap the bars individually and place them in an air-tight freezer-safe container. They’ll stay good for well-nigh three months.
To thaw the frozen lemon bars, either let them thaw in the refrigerator over night or let them thaw at room temperature for well-nigh a half hour.
Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour $0.12
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar $0.13
- 1/4 tsp salt $0.02
- 6 Tbsp salted butter $0.75
Lemon Filling
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar $0.36
- 4 large eggs $0.78
- 3/4 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons) 1 Tbsp zest $1.55
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour $0.08
Topping (optional)
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar $0.02
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt for the shortbread husks until well combined.
- Melt the butter, then pour it into the trencher of dry ingredients for the crust, and stir until everything is moistened and the mixture looks slightly crumbly.
- Line an 8×8-inch sultry dish with parchment paper. Press the shortbread mixture into the marrow of the dish in an plane layer.
- Transfer the sultry dish to the oven and torch the husks for 25 minutes*, or just until the edges are lightly golden.
- While the husks is baking, juice and zest your lemons. You'll need ¾ cup lemon juice and 1 Tbsp zest.
- Begin to make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, eggs, and zest until smooth. Add the lemon juice and whisk until smooth again.
- When the husks is finished baking, pour the lemon filling into the sultry dish on top of the crust, then transfer it when to the oven and protract to torch for flipside 30 minutes, or until the part-way no longer jiggles.
- Let the lemon bars tomfool for well-nigh 10 minutes surpassing transferring to the refrigerator to nippy completely.
- Once the lemon bars are completely chilled, remove them from the sultry dish, slice into 9 pieces, and then pebbles with well-nigh 1 Tbsp powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Lemon Bars – Step by Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 325ºF. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, and ¼ tsp salt. Stir them together until very well combined.
Melt 6 tablespoons of salted butter. Pour the butter into the trencher of dry ingredients and stir until combined.
The shortbread husks mixture should squint like this. Kind of crumbly, but it should hold together if you squeeze some in your fist.
Line an 8×8-inch sultry dish with parchment paper. Press the shortbread mixture into the marrow of the dish in an plane layer. Transfer it to the preheated 325ºF oven and torch for 25 minutes or until it is just barely golden on the edges (if using a metal pan, sultry time may be slightly shorter).
While the husks is baking, zest and juice the lemons. You’ll need well-nigh 1 Tbsp lemon zest and ¾ cup of lemon juice. Don’t forget to strain the seeds out of your juice! ;)
Add 1.5 cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 4 large eggs, and 1 Tbsp lemon zest to a bowl, then whisk together until smooth. I like to whisk these ingredients together surpassing subtracting the juice considering it helps prevent lumps of flour. The mixture will be thick at this stage.
Next, add the ¾ cup of lemon juice and whisk together until smooth.
Once the husks has finished baking, pour the custard mixture into the sultry dish on top of the crust.
Transfer the sultry dish when into the oven and torch for flipside 30 minutes, or until it’s golden virtually the edges and the part-way no longer jiggles. Let the bars tomfool for well-nigh ten minutes surpassing transferring to the refrigerator to fully chill.
Once the lemon bars have chilled completely, lift them out of the sultry dish using the parchment paper, then slice into nine pieces. Lightly pebbles the top of the squares with a tablespoon of powdered sugar. Enjoy!
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