Lemon Bars
The lemon bar against which the others are measured. A buttery shortbread crust is pressed into a 9-by-13 pan with a raised edge, baked until barely golden, then flooded with a filling made from six eggs, three cups of sugar and a full cup of fresh lemon juice. Cut into squares or, as Ina does, triangles.
- Serves
- 20 squares or 40 triangles
- Yield
- 20 squares or 40 triangles
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 1 hr 35 min
- Cuisine
- American
- Level
- Intermediate
Directions
-
Heat the oven to 350°F.
-
Make the crust: cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle until light. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Turn the dough onto a well-floured board, gather it into a ball, and with floured hands press it into a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan, building up a ½-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
-
Bake the crust 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack and leave the oven on.
-
Make the filling: whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour. Pour over the crust and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Cool to room temperature.
-
Cut into squares or triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.
Shawnie’s notes
The 30 minutes of chilling the crust is counted in the total time. The bars keep, covered, in the refrigerator for several days.
Adapted from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)
