A legendary dessert with a buttery shortbread base and a tangy lemon curd top. This is a fan favorite from the Barefoot Contessa archives – worthy of frequent repeats, especially this time of year.
This recipe comes from one of my favorite Ina cookbooks, Parties, and is something I’ve made for years. The lemon zesting and juicing is the only laborious part, but it’s worth it. These bars freeze well too, so you can make them ahead and keep them ready for a party anytime.
The recipe makes a large batch, and the dense richness of these makes small bites ideal for consumption – this will feed a crowd! To freeze, do so on a tray, and then wrap individually in plastic wrap – you can also freeze the entire slab if you have room for that. Then cut after defrosting at room temp for about 30 minutes.
Legendary Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1/2 pound butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling
- 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp grated lemon zest 4 to 6 lemons
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
- Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
- For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
- Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Notes
