World’s Best Lemon Bars
I love a good lemon bar, it is a thing of beauty, a treat for the senses. Generally, however, when you purchase a lemon bar somewhere, say a bakery or coffee shop, it is not good, it is too sweet, with little to no discernible lemon flavor. This recipe, my friends, is the antithesis of every crappy lemon bar you ever had. I do not feel I overstate my case when I call these the world’s best lemon bars. A number of people who have enjoyed them have even told me so. If you love lemon, and delight in a creamy, silky texture with slightly crunchy base, this is the lemon bar you didn’t even know you were looking for! I must, however, give credit where credit is due, this recipe is not my creation, but that of the geniuses at America’s Test Kitchen. And I will be forever in their debt…
Lemon Bars
Source: America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups Flour
- ½ cup Confectioners Sugar
- ½ teasp Salt
- 12 tbsp Butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
- 7 Egg Yolks, Large
- 2 Eggs, Large and whole
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- ⅔ cup Lemon juice (fresh)
- ¼ cup Lemon Zest (grated)
- 3 tbsp Heavy Cream
Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350oF. Line a 9″ square baking pan with two pieces of aluminum foil at right angles (to form a sort of sling). Lightly coat foil with vegetable oil.
2. Mix together flour, confectioners sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter (or food processor) incorporate 8 tbsp. of the butter until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal.
3. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly into an even layer. Bake until the crust starts to brown slightly, about 20 minutes.
4. While crust is baking, whisk together egg yolks and whole eggs in a medium non-reactive saucepan. Whisk in granulated sugar until combined, then whisk in lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Add remaining 4 tbsp of butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens slightly and registers 170 degrees (F) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes.
5. Strain the mixture immediately into a non-reactive bowl and stir in cream. Pour the warm curd over the hot crust. Bake until the filing is shiny and opaque and the center jiggles slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours, before removing from the pan using foil and cutting into squares. Dust with confectioners sugar just before serving.
Note: it is important to pour the warm curd over the hot crust when making these intensely flavored bars. This ensures that the filling cooks through evenly. You will need about four lemons for zest and juice.