Classic Lemon Bars

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9x13-inch baking pan
• •Food processor (or pastry cutter)
• •Microplane or fine grater
• •Citrus juicer
• •Fine-mesh sieve for dusting

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the pan

   Position a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. These handles will save you grief later when lifting out the slab for clean cutting. A light coating of butter under the parchment keeps it from sliding around.

2. 2

   Make the shortbread crust

   In a food processor, pulse the flour, powdered sugar, and salt until combined. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse in short bursts until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized pieces remaining. This should take 15 to 20 pulses. Don't process until smooth or your crust will be tough. Transfer to the prepared pan and press into an even layer using the bottom of a measuring cup. Work the dough up the sides about half an inch to contain the filling.

   No food processor? Cut butter into flour with a pastry cutter or two knives, or freeze the butter and grate it on a box grater directly into the flour mixture.
3. 3

   Bake the crust

   Bake the crust for 18 to 22 minutes, until the edges turn light golden and the center no longer looks raw. The surface should appear dry and set. A slight puff in the middle is normal and will flatten. Do not let it brown deeply. Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. The crust must remain hot for the next step.

4. 4

   Prepare the filling

   While the crust bakes, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, and salt in a large bowl until smooth and pale yellow, about two minutes by hand. The flour must be fully incorporated with no lumps visible. Add the lemon juice and zest, whisking until combined. The mixture will be quite thin. This is correct.

5. 5

   Pour and bake

   Give the filling one final whisk to redistribute the zest, which tends to float. Pour it over the hot crust immediately upon removing from the oven. Work quickly. The contrast between hot crust and room temperature filling creates steam that helps seal the layers together. Carefully return the pan to the oven.

   Pull the oven rack out partially before pouring to avoid sloshing the filling during transfer.
6. 6

   Bake until set

   Bake for 22 to 26 minutes. The filling is done when the edges are set and the center jiggles only slightly when you gently shake the pan, like a custard that's nearly there. The surface should look matte, not wet. A slight golden tinge around the edges is fine, but the center should remain pale yellow. Overbaking produces a rubbery texture.

7. 7

   Cool completely

   Let the bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least two hours at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting. Patience matters here. Warm lemon bars turn to mush when sliced. Cold bars cut cleanly into perfect squares or rectangles, whatever suits your purpose.

8. 8

   Cut and dust

   Use the parchment overhang to lift the entire slab onto a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into 24 bars, wiping the blade clean between cuts for neat edges. Transfer bars to a serving platter and dust generously with powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve. The white against the yellow is half the beauty of this dessert.

Chef Tips

• •Use fresh lemons, not bottled juice. The difference is night and day. Bottled juice tastes flat and metallic. You need real citrus oils and the brightness that only fresh squeezing provides.
• •Roll your lemons firmly on the counter before juicing. This breaks down the internal membranes and releases significantly more juice. A room temperature lemon yields more than a cold one.
• •Zest before you juice. It's nearly impossible to zest a squeezed lemon half. Use a microplane and take only the yellow layer. The white pith beneath is bitter.
• •For the cleanest cuts, chill the bars thoroughly and use a thin, sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between each slice.
• •Store leftovers refrigerated in a single layer, covered loosely with plastic wrap. They keep beautifully for up to five days. Add fresh powdered sugar just before serving if the original dusting has absorbed.

Advance Preparation

• •Lemon bars improve with an overnight rest in the refrigerator. The flavors meld and the texture firms to ideal slicing consistency. Bake the day before your event.
• •The shortbread crust can be pressed into the pan, covered tightly, and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. Add 2 to 3 minutes to the initial bake time if starting from cold.
• •Cut bars freeze well for up to 2 months. Freeze in a single layer until solid, then transfer to an airtight container with parchment between layers. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Dust with fresh powdered sugar after thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 42g)