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The Best Lemon Bars: Lemon Curd Squares


This recipe, title Lemon Curd Squares was originally posted on December 22, 2011 on Cooking for Seven. These are, to date, the best lemon bars I have ever made (or eaten), so I wanted to make sure to share the recipe with you.


Lemon Bars | Buttered Side UpMy Dad hates citrus in baked goods. Thus, I have always been leery of cooking with lemons, oranges, limes, etc.

 

Making Lemon Curd Squares
Lemon Bars | Buttered Side Up

Reuben loves lemon bars. When he informed me of this, I promised to make him some. I searched the internet over for the perfect recipe, and settled on one entitled “Lemon Curd Squares.” When I saw that the ingredient list included cream, I knew I needed to make them.

Lemon Bars | Buttered Side Up

And I wasn’t disappointed in my choice. Reuben loves them. He requested I send several bars in his lunch so he could share them with the other guys. That day he posted on my Facebook wall: “Best lemon bars ever. :)” <— Proudest. Moment. Ever.

Lemon Bars | Buttered Side Up

These lemon curd squares (AKA lemon bars) are the perfect medium between overpoweringly sweet and mouth-puckering sour. The crust is wonderfully tasty, enhanced by a smidgen of cinnamon. Dust with a little powdered sugar, and you have an elegant, scrumptious dessert.

Lemon Bars | Buttered Side Up

Are you a lemon lover like Reuben?

 


Lemon Curd Squares

These Lemon Curd Squares are the best lemon bars ever!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Bars, Lemon
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 bars
Author Erica Kastner

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour I used half white, half whole wheat
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar I used demerara
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 8 Tbs. 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For the lemon filling:

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar I used ground demerara
  • 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest optional
  • 3 eggs at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup  fresh lemon juice
  • 3 Tbs. heavy cream

Instructions

To make the crust:

  1. 1.) Preheat an oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish (preferably glass) and line with parchment paper.
  2. In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, salt and cinnamon. Pulse briefly until blended. Add the butter and pulse until the dough forms moist crumbs and sticks together when pinched, about 1 minute. There should be no trace of dryness. Press the dough into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared baking dish, lightly flouring your fingertips if necessary to prevent them from sticking. Bake the crust until pale golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the crust cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

To make the filling:

  1. 1.) In a bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, salt and lemon zest. Add the eggs, lemon juice and cream and whisk until just blended. Carefully pour the mixture over the baked crust.
  2. Bake until the filling is set but still jiggles slightly when the dish is gently shaken, about 20 minutes, or longer if using a metal pan. Transfer the pan to the wire rack and let cool for about 30 minutes. Run the tip of a small knife along the inside of the dish to loosen the crust from the sides, then let cool completely.
  3. Cut into 12 small rectangles (fewer if you want larger bars). Grab the sides of parchment paper that stick out from the pan and carefully remove the bars from the dish. Just before serving, sift a dusting of confectioners sugar over the bars.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Willams-Sanoma

More Bar Recipes:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with a Salty Pretzel Crust

 

Chai Gingerbread Bars

Chai Gingerbread Bars

 

Blackberry Cobbler Bars

Recipe Rating




Rachel Page

Sunday 18th of January 2015

I love lemon squares and I have different recipes of them. I'll have to include your recipe in my to do list.

clearlyhomemade

Thursday 5th of June 2014

YUM these look so delicious! Plus such a good, summery dessert!

Margo

Friday 7th of February 2014

oh wow, I'll have to try these. I use lemon so often in desserts! Lemon tart with rosemary crust, lemon oatmeal cream bars, lemon shoofly pie, lemon sponge pie - - ha, and that's just off the top of my head!!

Todd Jones

Friday 7th of February 2014

These look amazing! I've always made mine from a mix, but these look easy and yummy enough for me to make :)

Cozinha Caseira

Thursday 6th of February 2014

Olá

Esta sugestão é perfeita, divinal. Comia já.

http://www.pratocaseiro.blogspot.pt/