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Summertime Lemon Desserts
Recipe
3 hr 30 min

Lemon Bars

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Lemon Bars
Author: America's Test Kitchen

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on July 29, 2024

A tart, bold bite is present in this classic dessert.

Time

3 hr 30 min

Yield

Makes 16 bars

Why This Recipe Works

For bright citrus flavor, successful lemon bars depend on ample amounts of fresh lemon juice, yes, but also a generous amount of lemon zest, which provides round, floral notes. We used four lemons for our lemon curd filling, which yielded a whopping ⅔ cup of juice and ¼ cup of zest. The other major ingredient for lemon curd is eggs, and lots of them. Two whole eggs and seven yolks gave us a luxurious curd with good thickening properties. To tame the curd's pucker power and make it ultracreamy, we added a small amount of heavy cream and some butter. Confectioners' sugar contributed a tender texture to the crust.

Ingredients

Crust

1 ¼ cups (6¼ ounces/177 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup (2 ounces/57 grams) confectioners' sugar
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and softened

Filling

2 large eggs plus 7 large egg yolks
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ cup grated lemon zest plus ⅔ cup juice (4 lemons)
Pinch salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Make foil sling for 9-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease foil.

    2. CRUST

  2. Process flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. Sprinkle butter over top and pulse until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about 8 pulses. Sprinkle mixture into prepared pan and press firmly into even layer. Bake until crust begins to brown, about 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. (Crust must still be hot when filling is added.)

    3. FILLING

  3. Meanwhile, whisk eggs and yolks together in medium saucepan. Whisk in granulated sugar until combined, then whisk in lemon zest and juice and salt. Add butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and mixture thickens slightly and registers 170 degrees, about 5 minutes.
  4. Immediately strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into bowl and stir in cream. Pour warm lemon curd evenly over hot crust. Bake until filling is shiny and opaque and center jiggles slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.
  5. Let bars cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours. Using foil overhang, remove bars from pan. Cut into 16 pieces and dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. (Bars can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

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Lemon Bars

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on July 29, 2024

Time

3 hr 30 min

Yield

Makes 16 bars

Lemon Bars

Ingredients

Crust

1 ¼ cups (6¼ ounces/177 grams) all-purpose flour½ cup (2 ounces/57 grams) confectioners' sugar½ teaspoon salt8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and softened

Filling

2 large eggs plus 7 large egg yolks1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar¼ cup grated lemon zest plus ⅔ cup juice (4 lemons)Pinch salt4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces3 tablespoons heavy creamConfectioners' sugar, for dusting

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Make foil sling for 9-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease foil.

    2. CRUST

  2. Process flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. Sprinkle butter over top and pulse until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about 8 pulses. Sprinkle mixture into prepared pan and press firmly into even layer. Bake until crust begins to brown, about 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. (Crust must still be hot when filling is added.)

    3. FILLING

  3. Meanwhile, whisk eggs and yolks together in medium saucepan. Whisk in granulated sugar until combined, then whisk in lemon zest and juice and salt. Add butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and mixture thickens slightly and registers 170 degrees, about 5 minutes.
  4. Immediately strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into bowl and stir in cream. Pour warm lemon curd evenly over hot crust. Bake until filling is shiny and opaque and center jiggles slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.
  5. Let bars cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours. Using foil overhang, remove bars from pan. Cut into 16 pieces and dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. (Bars can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
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