RECIPE FROM THE CHEF
Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
INGREDIENTS :
Shortbread Crust
• 1 cup ( 2 sticks ) unsalted butter , melted
• 1 / 2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 / 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Lemon Filling
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup lemon juice ( about 4 lemons )
• optional : confectioners ’ sugar for dusting
DIRECTIONS :
1 . Preheat the oven to 325 ° F Line the bottom and sides of a 9 × 13 baking pan * with parchment paper , leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out ( makes cutting easier !). Set aside .
2 . Make the crust : Mix the melted butter , sugar , vanilla extract , and salt together in a medium bowl . Add the flour and stir to completely combine . The dough will be thick . Press firmly into prepared pan , making sure the layer of crust is nice and even . Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned . Remove from the oven . Using a fork , poke holes all over the top of the warm crust ( not all the way through the crust ). A new step I swear by , this helps the filling stick and holds the crust in place . Set aside until step 4 . 3 . Make the filling : Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl . Whisk in the eggs , then the lemon juice until completely combined .
4 . Pour filling over warm crust . Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles . ( Give the pan a light tap with an oven mitt to test .) Remove bars from the oven and cool completely at room temperature . I usually cool them for about 2 hours at room temperature , then stick in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until pretty chilled . I recommend serving chilled .
5 . Once cool , lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides . Dust with confectioners ’ sugar and cut into squares before serving . For neat squares , wipe the knife clean between each cut . Cover and store leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week .
6 . Freezing Instructions : Lemon bars can be frozen for up to 3-4 months . Cut the cooled bars ( without confectioners ’ sugar topping ) into squares , then place onto a baking sheet . Freeze for 1 hour . Individually wrap each bar in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place into a large bag or freezer container to freeze . Thaw in the refrigerator , then dust with confectioners ’ sugar before serving .
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