This straightforward lemon bars recipe bakes up a giant tray of candy and tangy dessert! Every serving has the right mixture of almond shortbread crust topped with a gooey citrus filling.

Desk of Contents

1. The cookie-like crust
2. Pan choice
3. Advantages of par-baking the crust
4. Make the lemon filling
5. Bake the lemon bars
6. Permit time for cooling
7. Slicing and serving
8. What to serve this with
9. Traditional Lemon Bars Recipe

When your candy tooth has a craving, otherwise you’re on the lookout for a sharable dessert, give these scrumptious lemon bars a attempt. The recipe has simply two easy components- an almond shortbread crust and luscious citrus curd. The distinction is pleasant, with a crisp backside layer and clean filling.

To make sure a sturdy crust texture, you’ll must pre-bake it first. The hardened dry floor prevents it from turning into soggy when you place the moist lemon filling on prime. The recipe makes a big tray, which is ideal for making a giant batch to share.

The cookie-like crust

I make the crust utilizing a vanilla shortbread cookie base consisting of flour, mushy butter, and granulated sugar. I add an egg for richness and baking powder to keep away from a dense texture. So as to add extra taste and improve the crust’s consistency, I coarsely floor sliced almonds in a meals processor. 

The mixture of elements creates a buttery, effective crumb for straightforward handheld bites. The method begins with creaming butter and sugar collectively, then including the dry elements to kind the dough. Watch out to not overmix. In any other case, you’ll find yourself with a tricky texture on account of extra gluten formation.

Pan choice

Use floured fingertips to press the dough evenly right into a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. I desire this form because it’s straightforward to chop out a number of particular person squares for serving. The filling could be very sticky, so be certain to grease the edges and backside with cooking spray. 

I additionally suggest laying down some parchment paper. Roll out sufficient in order that it hangs over the edges. These paper edges act as a deal with and will let you carry the lemon bars out of the pan simply after baking.

Advantages of par-baking the crust

Bake the crust by itself first, till frivolously golden-brown and the floor units. This course of types a sturdy layer to help the thick lemon filling on prime. The par-bake method is much like blind-baking pie dough. It prevents a soggy and undercooked backside, as soon as the moist filling is added.

Make the lemon filling

For an intense however balanced citrus taste, use recent lemons. If in season, I desire Meyer lemons with hints of orange notes as a tasty various. Zesting the lemon pores and skin provides fantastic aromatics and important oils that infuse into the filling. A beneficiant quantity of lemon juice provides brilliant, tanginess to every slice. 

The filling ought to have a thick curd-like consistency. To thicken the combination, I add eggs and flour. The starches within the flour swell and thicken as they prepare dinner, and the egg proteins begin to gel however not utterly agency up like scrambled eggs.

Bake the lemon bars

I exploit a reasonable oven temperature of 325-degrees for gently cooking the lemon curd filling. Preserve a detailed eye on the feel change. In direction of the final 5 minutes of baking, you’ll see the middle go from free to agency after which set. The floor ought to be dry to the contact, with a skinny shiny crust.

If you happen to see cracks on the highest, that’s an indication the filling is getting too sizzling. And for those who tried to press by way of the crust prime, it might be mushy and sticky beneath. If you happen to over bake the bars, the egg proteins will harden and curdle. The feel shall be chewy as an alternative of gooey.

Permit time for cooling

Though you could wish to dig in straight away, it’s important to let the bars cool utterly. There’s nonetheless some carryover cooking that totally thickens the flour starches and egg proteins. Allow them to cool to room temperature, after which switch them to the fridge for an hour to sit back. This course of will make it a lot simpler to chop and serve as soon as the butter within the crust corporations and the filling thickens.

Slicing and serving

The bars are very sticky and gooey for the reason that filling has a lemon meringue pie-like consistency. For clear particular person items, dip your knife in heat water, make your lower, then rigorously wipe off the blade and repeat. Proper earlier than serving, I prefer to sprinkle powdered sugar on prime. Chilly bars additionally forestall the sugar from melting.

What to serve this with