Introduction: Easy Lemon Bars
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These are perfect, neither too lemony nor too sweet, light, and slightly sticky lemon bars. I was amazed at how well this recipe turned out, considering I'd never made lemon bars before! I'm giving you my own tailored version, since even though they were great, I think there is always room for improvement (unless it comes to devilish angel food cake which is pretty much perfect in all ways). It's a pretty straight-forward recipe, so I hope you enjoy!
Line a 13"x9" baking dish or jelly roll pan with a double layer of parchment, or one of foil and one of parchment (the extra strength will help you lift the bars out of the pan for cutting).
Optional:
Add:
Sprinkle mixture over the parchment lined pan, and press into the bottom and up the sides .
Chill in pan for half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350oF (180C)
Bake crust for 20 minutes, until light golden in color, turning pan half way through baking time for even browning.
Pour filling into warm crust. Bake for 20 minutes until firm set. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.
When bars are cool, lift them from a pan and use a knife or pizza cutter to cut bars, rinsing the blade in cool water between cuts.
Dust tops with powdered sugar and serve!
This is the first in a series of recipes I will be making as a side project to support my local market, LeBeau, in San Francisco. If you are interested in following the rest of the series (including several which will be exclusive to their page) follow them on Facebook, and let them know scoochmaroo sent you! Or just follow them :D
Shopping list:
- 4 large lemons
- 4 eggs
- Milk
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Confectioner's sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
- Salt
Make the crust:
Line a 13"x9" baking dish or jelly roll pan with a double layer of parchment, or one of foil and one of parchment (the extra strength will help you lift the bars out of the pan for cutting).
In a food processor, pulse together:
- 1 3/4 cups (220g) flour
- 2/3 cup (83g) confectioner's sugar
- 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (170g) cool butter
Optional:
Add:
- 1-2 tablespoons cold vodka
Sprinkle mixture over the parchment lined pan, and press into the bottom and up the sides .
Chill in pan for half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350oF (180C)
Bake crust for 20 minutes, until light golden in color, turning pan half way through baking time for even browning.
While the crust is baking, make the filling:
Whisk together:- 4 eggs
- 1 1/3 cups (330g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest from 2 large lemons
- 3/4 cups (6oz) lemon juice from 4 large lemons
- 1 1/3 cup (11 oz) milk
- dash salt
Pour filling into warm crust. Bake for 20 minutes until firm set. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.
When bars are cool, lift them from a pan and use a knife or pizza cutter to cut bars, rinsing the blade in cool water between cuts.
Dust tops with powdered sugar and serve!
This is the first in a series of recipes I will be making as a side project to support my local market, LeBeau, in San Francisco. If you are interested in following the rest of the series (including several which will be exclusive to their page) follow them on Facebook, and let them know scoochmaroo sent you! Or just follow them :D
20 Comments
12 years ago on Introduction
whats all purpose flour?
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
It's basic flour without any added leaveners like "self-rising" flour. Typically, all-purpose flour has a10-12% protein content, unlike bread flour (12-14%), cake flour (6-8%), or pastry flour (8-10%).
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
AKA "Plain flour"
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
Scoochmaroo gives a detailed explanation and you're like 2 words, Plain Flour LOL
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
"Plain flour" is the UK description of what you buy in the store.
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
hows life after three years
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
Hos life 3 years after that comment
11 years ago on Introduction
Sometimes I wish you weren't so good at this kind of thing! It's like your fattening the whole instructables community up for eating! (And if you do eat them, you will make it very delicious.)
11 years ago on Introduction
Made it.....Numnumnumnum
11 years ago on Introduction
Just made! Another delicious recipe from scoochmaroo!
12 years ago on Introduction
I have a similar recipe with the addition of a layer of melted chocolate on the baked crust.
12 years ago on Introduction
Love the vodka trick - very clever.
12 years ago on Introduction
mine turned out very squishy, but tasted great!
12 years ago on Introduction
Mmmmm. Am thinking of how to veganize 'em . . . have you tried with with tofu or flax goo or any of the usual suspects, and if not, have you any thoughts on how you'd do it? Would appreciate any ideas before I dive in and try to work it out, the less ingredients I abuse on trial and error the more I'll like it :-)
12 years ago on Introduction
I can't wait to try these!
12 years ago on Introduction
I want to try this using chocolate mint from the garden...lol and Chocolate Maypo for the sub the cornstarch. The tricky part will be the mint for the lemon juice. I have never done a plant extract though I have read about it. hummm...wheels turning..Gotta try it the lemon way first though.
12 years ago on Introduction
I really love these. They are lemon...yum! And then lots of protein and some sugar. I could really enjoy making these.
12 years ago on Introduction
http://leonidovich.net/
12 years ago on Introduction
What size eggs did you use?
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Large