Our middle son made these lemon bars the other day while I was out. At 14, he is a talented baker. I was highly impressed with these bars, some of the best lemon bars I have ever tasted. I was so good that I only ate one square, no matter how much I wanted to wolf them down. They are not diet-friendly, to say the least, and quite high in sugar. A treat here and there is OK, and this I really enjoyed. But it’s a very rare treat!
Handcrafted Lemon Bars
Shortbread Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Lemon Filling Ingredients:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup lemon juice
Optional:
- Powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325° and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper (leave a little for overhang).
Mix the shortbread ingredients together; it will be thick. Press firmly into the prepared pan, so it is even.
Bake for 20-22 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and poke holes on the top (but don’t go through to the bottom).
Set aside.
Meanwhile, to make the filling:
Sift the sugar and flour into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice until combined.
Pour the filling over the warm crust. Bake the bars for 22-28 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles like gelatin.
Let cool completely at room temperature, then chill for 1-2 hours before cutting.
Once chilled, lift out by the parchment paper onto a cutting board and cut into squares.
Dust with powdered sugar (use a small sieve to shake it through) over the bars.
Store chilled, and eat within a day or two for best results.
~Sarah