Lemon Curd Bars

The secret to the intense lemon flavor in these bars is fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and a little heavy cream that helps form a creamy curd. I make these whenever I go to a summer barbecue and they quickly disappear from the serving plate!

Ingredients:

For the crust

• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), softened but still cool, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the lemon filling

• 7 large egg yolks
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (4-5 lemons)
• 1/4 cup grated lemon zest
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square pan by folding two 16-inch pieces of foil lengthwise to measure 9 inches wide. Fit one sheet on the bottom of the pan, pushing it into the corners and up the sides (overhang will help in removal of baked bars). Fit the second sheet in the pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray the sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Process the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined, 3 seconds. Add 8 tablespoons of the butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then process until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second pulses. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer over the entire pan bottom. Bake the crust until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
3. While the crust is baking, whisk the yolks and whole eggs together in a medium nonreactive saucepan. Add the granulated sugar and whisk until just combined. Add the lemon juice, zest, and pinch of salt; whisk until combined.
4. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter pieces, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes.
5. Immediately pour the curd through a single-mesh stainless steel strainer set over a clean non-reactive bowl. Stir in the heavy cream; pour the curd into the warm crust immediately.
6. Bake until the filling is shiny and opaque and the center jiggles slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours, before removing the bars from the pan using the foil and cutting into squares. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, and/or garnish with berries before serving. Makes 16 bars.

Recipe Credit: America’s Test Kitchen

Photo credit: Rose Kesting