Best Lemon Bar Recipes

THE ULTIMATE LEMON BUTTER BAR

Steps:

• EQUIPMENT:
• 8-inch by 8-inch by 2-inch baking pan, preferably metal (if using a glass pan, lower the oven temperature 25°F.), bottom and 2 sides lined with an 8-inch by 16-inch strip of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• SHORTBREAD BASE
• Food Processor Method
• Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes, wrap it, and refrigerate.
• In a food processor with the metal blade, process the sugars for 1 minute or so, until the sugar is very fine. Add the butter and pulse in until the sugar disappears. Add the flour and pulse in until there are a lot of little moist crumbly pieces and no dry flour particles remain.
• Dump the mixture into a plastic bag and press it together. Remove the dough from the plastic bag and knead it lightly, until it holds together.
• Electric Mixer Method or by Hand
• In Scotland, it is said that the best shortbread is mixed with the fingers and that each woman's fingers lend something distinctive and special to the finished cookie. I find that the texture is more delicate when the dough is mixed with the fingers rather than in a machine. For either method, use superfine sugar for the best texture and be sure to soften the butter.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. With your fingers or with the electric mixer, mix in the flour until incorporated. If using the mixer, add the flour in 2 parts.
• For Both Methods
• Place 1 oven rack in the middle of the oven.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Pat the dough into the prepared pan. Use a fork to prick the dough all over.
• Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the top is pale golden (do not brown).
• While the shortbread is baking, prepare the Lemon Curd Topping.
• LEMON CURD TOPPING
• Have a strainer, suspended over a bowl, ready near the range.
• In a heavy noncorrodible saucepan, beat the egg yolks and sugar with a wooden spoon until well blended. Stir in the lemon juice, butter, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 6 minutes, until thickened and resembling hollandaise sauce, which thickly coats a wooden spoon but is still liquid enough to pour. (A candy thermometer will read 196°F.) The mixture will change from translucent to opaque and begin to take on a yellow color on the back of a wooden spoon. It must not be allowed to boil or it will curdle. (It will steam above 140°F. Whenever steaming occurs, remove the pan briefly from the heat, stirring constantly to prevent boiling.)
• When the curd has thickened, pour it at once into the strainer. Press it with the back of a spoon until only the coarse residue remains. Discard the residue. Stir in the lemon zest.
• When the shortbread is baked, remove it from the oven, lower the temperature to 300°F., pour the lemon curd on top of the shortbread, and return it to the oven for 10 minutes.
• Cool the lemon curd-topped shortbread completely in the pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes to set the lemon curd completely before cutting into bars. Place the powdered sugar in a strainer and tap the strainer with a spoon to sprinkle a thick, even coating, entirely covering the lemon.
• Run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pan and the pastry on the 2 sides without the aluminum foil. Use the foil to lift out the lemon curd-covered shortbread onto a cutting surface. Use a long, sharp knife to cut the shortbread first in thirds, then in half the other way, and then each half in thirds. Wipe the blade after each cut.
• The powdered sugar will start to be absorbed into the lemon curd after several hours, but it can be reapplied before serving.
• Store:
• In an airtight container at room temperature, or in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Keeps:
• 3 days at room temperature, 3 weeks refrigerated (individually wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent drying), or 3 months frozen.
• Smart Cookie
• • Cooking the topping before pouring it into the shortbread ensures crispness as opposed to the usual pastiness of the pastry.
• • Returning the curd to the oven, where it will be exposed to heat without stirring, causes the yolk to rebond, making it firm enough to cut after cooling.
• • If each lemon is heated about 10 seconds in a microwave oven on high power and rolled around while pressing on it lightly, it will release a significantly greater quantity of juice.
• • An aluminum pan should not be used to prepare the lemon curd because it will react with the egg yolks, turning them chartreuse.
• • Sugar raises the coagulation point of the egg yolk. It also protects it from premature coagulation during the addition of the lemon juice. If the juice were added directly to the unprotected yolk, the yolk would partially coagulate and, when strained, a large percentage of it would be left behind in the strainer. Be sure to mix the sugar well with the egg yolks before adding the juice.

THE MOST-LEMONY LEMON BAR OF ALL TIME

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with foil leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Grease the foil and dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
• To make the crust, pulse the zest with 1/3 cup of the sugar in a food processor until the sugar is yellow and sandy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the butter, cornstarch and salt and pulse until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden at the edges and pale golden in the center, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. To make the filling, whisk the eggs and egg yolks with the remaining 1 2/3 cups sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup flour in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in 1 cup lemon juice.
• Pour the filling over the warm crust and return to the oven. Bake until the filling is just set, about 30 minutes.
• Cool the lemon bars on a wire rack, 30 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered until firm, at least 1 hour. Lift the bars out of the pan using the foil. Peel off the foil and cut into 24 bars. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Place a piece of gummy lemon candy on top of each square and serve.

LEMON BAR COOKIE CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Gradually beat in dry ingredients until combined.
• Roll into 1" sized balls and place in muffin tin.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Press the insides of the cookies down with the backside of a spoon to make an indent for filling; let cool.
• To make the filling, cream together 6 Tablespoons softened butter with 1 cup sugar.
• Mix in 2 eggs and just the yolks from the other 2 eggs, and beat until well combined.
• Add lemon juice and mix until combined, there will still be some lumps.
• Pour filling mixture into a saucepan over medium heat.
• Whisk constantly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and thickened.
• Remove lemon curd from heat and let cool for 2-3 minutes.
• Carefully spoon a teaspoon of lemon curd into each cookie cup.
• Top cookie cups with lemon zest of one lemon, and place in fridge for 30 minutes, or until lemon curd has set up.
• Remove cookie cups from pan using a butter knife and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

LEMON SQUARES/LEMON BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend the butter, flour, powdered sugar and lemon peel.
• Spread in a 9 X 9 inch UNGREASED pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Combine the rest of the ingredients, (not the powdered sugar), and pour over the baked mixture.
• Bake an additional 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle powdered sugar of the top when out of the oven.
• Loosen the sides with the sharp point of a knife.
• Let the cake cool and then cut it into squares.
• These can be refrigerated, but should be removed about 1/2 hour before serving to bring to room temperature.

LEMON BAR TRIFLE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and pecans; stir in butter. Press into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack., In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and flour. Stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. , Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the lemon juice, butter and lemon zest. , Transfer to a large bowl. Cool to room temperature without stirring. Cover surface with waxed paper; refrigerate until chilled., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Crumble the baked pecan mixture; set aside 1/2 cup for topping., Just before serving, in a 3-qt. trifle bowl, layer 1 cup each pecan mixture, lemon mixture and cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with reserved pecan mixture. Refrigerate leftovers.

LOVELY LEMON BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat over to 350 degrees, rack in middle position.
• Grease a 9 x 13 pan.
• Cut each stick of butter into eight pieces.
• Zoop it up with the flour and powdered sugar in a food processor until it looks like coarse cornmeal (just like the first step in making a piecrust).
• Spread it out in a greased 9 x 13 pan and pat it down with your hands.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden around the edges.
• Remove from oven - but don't turn the oven off!
• Mix eggs with white sugar.
• Add lemon juice & zest if you want to use it.
• Add salt and baking powder and mix.
• Add flour and mix thoroughly. (This will be runny - it's supposed to be.).
• Pour this mixture on top of the pan you just baked.
• Stick it back into the oven.
• Bake at 350 degrees for another 30-35 minutes.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle on additional powdered sugar.
• Let cool thoroughly and cut into brownie-sized bars.

LEMON COCONUT BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• To prepare cookies, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup level with a knife. Combine flour and granulated sugar in a bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Press mixture into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.
• Combine brown sugar, 3 tablespoons juice, and eggs in a medium bowl, stir ring with a whisk. Stir in coconut pour evenly into pan. Bake an additional 25 minutes or until set.
• To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, rind, and 2 tablespoons juice, stir ring with a whisk. Spread glaze evenly over cookies. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut cookies into squares.

LEMON BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix flour and powdered sugar together (for crust).
• Cut butter into flour mixture (as for pie dough).
• Spray 9 x 13" baking dish with Pam nonstick spray.
• Spread crust into bottom of pan and pat lightly.
• Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
• Beat all of the topping ingredients together lightly.
• Pour over the toasted crust and bake an additional 25 minutes at 350°.
• Cut into small squares.
• Be careful not to overcook or they get very crumbly. The crust should be slightly crumbly when you bite into it, but not fall apart in your hands. The topping should be the consistency of lemon meringue pie filling.

LEMON BAR TRIFLE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and pecans; stir in butter. Press into an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and flour. Stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly.
• Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
• Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the lemon juice, butter and lemon peel.
• Transfer to a bowl. Cool to room temperature without stirring. Cover surface with waxed paper; refrigerate until chilled.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Crumble the baking pecan mixture; set aside 1/2 cup for topping. Just before serving, in a 3 quart trifle bowl, layer 1 cup each pecan mixture, lemon mixture and cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with reserved pecan mixture. Refrigerate leftovers.

LOVELY LEMON BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 F 2. Cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces. Combine in food processor with 2 cups flour and confectioners' sugar until mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. 3. Spread into greased 9-by-13 inch pan and pat down with your hands. 4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is golden around the edges. Remove from oven. 5. In bowl, mix eggs with granulated sugar using hand mixer. Add lemon juice, zest, salt and baking powder; mix. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour and mix thoroughly (it will be runny). 6. pour mixture over crust and bake 30 to 35 minutes more. Remove from oven and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. 7. Let cool and cut into bars.

LEMON BAR/SQUARE RENOVATION - WW 2-3 PTS EACH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• Make crust: mix flour and brown sugar using a food processor until fully incorporated. Toss butter into flour mixture and pulse to combine until butter is cut into tiny pea-sized pieces and dough appears lumpy. Pack gently into ungreased 13 x 9 x 2" pan (I lined mine w/foil to simplify cutting). Bake 20 minutes until golden.
• Meanwhile: Make lemon topping. Beat eggs in medium bowl w/electric mixer (I just did everything in the food processor for easy cleanup). Add vanilla extract and 3/4 c powdered sugar. Mix well. Add lemon juice and remaining powdered sugar until sugar is completely dissolved.
• As soon as crust is finished, remove from oven and reduce temperature to 300*. Immediately pour lemon mixture over hot crust. Bake completely, about 30 minutes Cool and cut into 24 bars.
• NOTE: Instructions emphasize that the crust MUST be hot when you pour the lemon mixture over. Not sure why, but they made a special note, so I'm passing that along.

MEYER LEMON-LIME BAR

Steps:

• Butter a 9 x 13 x 2" baking pan, then line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper. This is optional but will make removing the bars from the pan, much simpler. For the crust: Cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter mixture until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into the bottom of prepared pan. Chill the pan while the oven preheats to 350° F. Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on. For the filling: Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon and lime zest, lemon and lime juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 35-45 minutes, until filling is set. Let cool to room temperature. Cut into squares or triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

LEMON BAR PEEPS®

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
• Beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar together in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add 2 cups flour and cornstarch; beat until mixture forms a dough. Press dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is light golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Beat 1 1/3 cups sugar, lemon juice, 2/3 cup flour, eggs, and lemon zest together in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour lemon mixture over crust.
• Bake in the oven until lemon mixture is set, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature before removing from baking dish. Cut into desired "Peep" shapes using shaped cookie cutters. Place 2 mini chocolate chips onto each "Peep" to create "eyes."

LEMON BAR WITH OLIVE OIL/SEA SALT

Steps:

• PREPARATION Heat oven to 325 degrees and line a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with enough parchment to hang over two of the sides (to be used as handles later to lift the bars out of the pan). To make the shortbread base, pulse together the flour, granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor, or whisk together in a large bowl. Add butter and pulse (or use two knives or your fingers) to cut the butter into the flour until a crumbly dough forms. Press dough into prepared pan and bake until shortbread is pale golden all over, 30 to 35 minutes. While the shortbread is baking, prepare the lemon curd: Grate 1/2 tablespoon zest from lemons and set aside. Squeeze lemons to yield 3/4 cup juice. In a small saucepan, whisk together lemon juice, sugar, eggs and yolks, cornstarch and fine sea salt over medium heat until boiling and thickened, 2 to 5 minutes. Make sure mixture comes to a boil or the cornstarch won’t activate. But once it boils do not cook for longer than 1 minute or you risk the curd thinning out again. Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Whisk in butter, olive oil and lemon zest. When the shortbread is ready, take it out of the oven and carefully pour the lemon curd onto the shortbread base; return the pan to the oven. Bake until topping is just set, 10 to 15 minutes more. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold before cutting into bars. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and flaky sea salt right before serving.

LEMON BAR COOKIE CUPS RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Gradually beat in dry ingredients until combined.
• Roll into 1" sized balls and place in muffin tin.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Press the insides of the cookies down with the backside of a spoon to make an indent for filling; let cool.
• To make the filling, cream together 6 Tablespoons softened butter with 1 cup sugar.
• Mix in 2 eggs and just the yolks from the other 2 eggs, and beat until well combined.
• Add lemon juice and mix until combined, there will still be some lumps.
• Pour filling mixture into a saucepan over medium heat.
• Whisk constantly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and thickened.
• Remove lemon curd from heat and let cool for 2-3 minutes.
• Carefully spoon a teaspoon of lemon curd into each cookie cup.
• Top cookie cups with lemon zest of one lemon, and place in fridge for 30 minutes, or until lemon curd has set up.
• Remove cookie cups from pan using a butter knife and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

RHUBARB LEMON BAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325
• Combine first 4 ingredients in food processor, blend until dough comes together. Press firmly into 8x8 parchment lined pan and bake 30-35 minutes unitl brown around the edges.
• Combine 1/2 cup sugar and chopped rhubarb in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer unitl completely broken down, 10-15 minutes stiring frequently. Set aside to cool.
• Combine remaining ingredients in food processor. Pulse to break up eggs. Add rhubarb mixture. Pulse to combine. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes until puffy and set.
• Cool completely in pan on a wire rack before lifting out to cut and serve.

LEMON BAR CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• 1. For the Cheesecake: Pulse the first 3 ingredients in a food processor 3 or 4 times or just until blended. Add the butter, and pulse 5 or 6 times or until crumbly.
• 2. Whisk together the egg yolks and 1 tablespoon ice-cold water in a small bowl; add to the butter mixture, and process until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, adding up to 1 tablespoon remaining ice-cold water one teaspoon at a time, if necessary. Shape the dough into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 4 - 24 hours.
• 3. Roll the dough into a 14 inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fit the dough into a lightly greased 0 inch dark springform pan, gently pressing on the bottom and up the sides of the pan; trim and discard the excess dough. Chill 30 minutes.
• 4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Beat the cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
• 5. Pour two-thirds of the cheesecake batter (about 4 cups) into the prepared crust; dollop 1 cup lemon curd over the batter in the pan, and gently swirl with a knife. Spoon the remaining batter into the pan.
• 6. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes or just until the center is set. Turn the oven off. Let the cheesecake stand in the oven with the door closed, 15 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, and gently run a knife around the outer edge of the cheesecake to loosen from the sides of the pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
• 7. Remove the sides of the pan, and transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter. Spoon the remaining 1 cup lemon curd over the cheesecake, and if desired, top with candied lemon slices.
• 8. For the candied lemon slices: Stir together 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 3/4 cup water in a large skillet over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon slices, and simmer gently, keeping the slices in a single layer and turning occasionally, 14 to 16 minutes or until slightly translucent and the rinds are softened. Remove from the heat. Place the slices in a single layer on a wax paper-lined jellyroll pan, using tongs. Cool completely (about 1 hour) Cover and chill 2 hours to 2 days. Reserve the syrup for another use.

THE ULTIMATE LEMON BUTTER BAR RECIPE | EPICURIOUS.COM

Steps:

• EQUIPMENT:
• inch by 8-inch by 2-inch baking pan, preferably metal (if using a glass pan, lower the oven temperature 25°F.), bottom and 2 sides lined with an 8-inch by 16-inch strip of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• Food Processor Method
• Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes, wrap it, and refrigerate.
• In a food processor with the metal blade, process the sugars for 1 minute or so, until the sugar is very fine. Add the butter and pulse in until the sugar disappears. Add the flour and pulse in until there are a lot of little moist crumbly pieces and no dry flour particles remain.
• Dump the mixture into a plastic bag and press it together. Remove the dough from the plastic bag and knead it lightly, until it holds together.
• Electric Mixer Method or by Hand
• In Scotland, it is said that the best shortbread is mixed with the fingers and that each woman's fingers lend something distinctive and special to the finished cookie. I find that the texture is more delicate when the dough is mixed with the fingers rather than in a machine. For either method, use superfine sugar for the best texture and be sure to soften the butter.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. With your fingers or with the electric mixer, mix in the flour until incorporated. If using the mixer, add the flour in 2 parts.
• For Both MethodsPlace 1 oven rack in the middle of the oven.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Pat the dough into the prepared pan. Use a fork to prick the dough all over.
• Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the top is pale golden (do not brown).
• While the shortbread is baking, prepare the Lemon Curd Topping.
• LEMON CURD TOPPING
• Have a strainer, suspended over a bowl, ready near the range.
• In a heavy noncorrodible saucepan, beat the egg yolks and sugar with a wooden spoon until well blended. Stir in the lemon juice, butter, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 6 minutes, until thickened and resembling hollandaise sauce, which thickly coats a wooden spoon but is still liquid enough to pour. (A candy thermometer will read 196°F.) The mixture will change from translucent to opaque and begin to take on a yellow color on the back of a wooden spoon. It must not be allowed to boil or it will curdle. (It will steam above 140°F. Whenever steaming occurs, remove the pan briefly from the heat, stirring constantly to prevent boiling.)
• When the curd has thickened, pour it at once into the strainer. Press it with the back of a spoon until only the coarse residue remains. Discard the residue. Stir in the lemon zest.
• When the shortbread is baked, remove it from the oven, lower the temperature to 300°F., pour the lemon curd on top of the shortbread, and return it to the oven for 10 minutes.
• Cool the lemon curd–topped shortbread completely in the pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes to set the lemon curd completely before cutting into bars. Place the powdered sugar in a strainer and tap the strainer with a spoon to sprinkle a thick, even coating, entirely covering the lemon.
• Run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pan and the pastry on the 2 sides without the aluminum foil. Use the foil to lift out the lemon curd–covered shortbread onto a cutting surface. Use a long, sharp knife to cut the shortbread first in thirds, then in half the other way, and then each half in thirds. Wipe the blade after each cut.
• The powdered sugar will start to be absorbed into the lemon curd after several hours, but it can be reapplied before serving.
• Store:
• In an airtight container at room temperature, or in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Keeps:
• days at room temperature, 3 weeks refrigerated (individually wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent drying), or 3 months frozen.
• Smart Cookie
• • Cooking the topping before pouring it into the shortbread ensures crispness as opposed to the usual pastiness of the pastry.
• • Returning the curd to the oven, where it will be exposed to heat without stirring, causes the yolk to rebond, making it firm enough to cut after cooling.
• • If each lemon is heated about 10 seconds in a microwave oven on high power and rolled around while pressing on it lightly, it will release a significantly greater quantity of juice.
• • An aluminum pan should not be used to prepare the lemon curd because it will react with the egg yolks, turning them chartreuse.
• • Sugar raises the coagulation point of the egg yolk. It also protects it from premature coagulation during the addition of the lemon juice. If the juice were added directly to the unprotected yolk, the yolk would partially coagulate and, when strained, a large percentage of it would be left behind in the strainer. Be sure to mix the sugar well with the egg yolks before adding the juice.
• Reprinted with permission from Rose's Christmas Cookies
• by Rose Levy Beranbaum. © 1998 William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York

LEMON BAR

Steps:

• In a food processor mix the first 3 ingredients until they are crumbly.
• Press into a greased slice tin and bake 15-20 minutes at 180C degrees until golden and dry.
• While cooking, combine remaining ingredients.
• Pour over the hot crust and bake for 25-30 minutes until set.
• Cool.
• Cut into bars after dusting with icing sugar.