Description
I got this recipe from Barefoot Contessa, but after Googling around, I realized that her ratio of lemon to shortbread would be a little too much for a lemon novice like myself. Deb at Smitten Kitchen used a 1:1 ratio for her lemon bars (also based off of Barefoot) that worked better for me. Also, these are definitely better the second or third day, so they’re perfect for making ahead.
Scale
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling
- zest of 5 Meyer lemons (the recipe calls for 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of zest, but I zested all of my lemons. I highly recommend this)
- 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
- 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2/3 cup flour, sifted
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Combine the flour and salt, and mix into the butter mixture until it just comes together.
- Dump the dough onto a floured work surface and gather it into a ball. Flatten the dough and press into a well-greased 9-x-13 baking pan, creating a 1/2-inch crust. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes, until very slightly browned. Let the crust cool.
- Make the filling: zest the lemons and combine with the sugar using your fingertips, until the sugar becomes slightly clumpy and fragrant. Whisk the sugar mixture with the eggs, lemon juice and flour until smooth and shiny.
- Pour the curd over the cooled crust and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the filling is set. Cool to room temperature before sifting the powdered sugar on top. Cut into squares and serve.