Perfect Lemon Bars

Ingredients

CRUST
1-3⁄4 cups (8-3⁄4 ounces) all-purpose flour
2⁄3 cup (2-2⁄3 ounces) confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for garnish
1⁄4 cup cornstarch
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces
LEMON FILLING
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1-1⁄3 cups (9-1⁄3 ounces) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 2⁄3 cup juice (4 lemons)
1⁄3 cup whole milk
1⁄8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Make foil sling by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so that they are as wide as 13 by 9-inch baking pan (one 13-inch sheet and one 9-inch sheet). Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to one another, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease foil and set aside.
Process flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt in food processor until combined, 15 seconds. Add butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then pulse until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about 3 pulses. (To do this by hand, mix flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl. Freeze butter and grate it on large holes of box grater into flour mixture. Toss butter pieces to coat. Rub pieces between fingers for a minute, until flour turns pale yellow and coarse.) Sprinkle mixture into prepared pan and press firmly with fingers into even 1⁄4-inch layer over entire pan bottom and about 1⁄2 inch up sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
FOR THE FILLING: Whisk eggs, sugar, and flour in medium bowl, then stir in lemon zest and juice, milk, and salt to blend well.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Stir filling mixture to reblend; pour into warm crust. Bake until filling feels firm when touched lightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool to near room temperature, at least 30 minutes. Cut into squares and sieve confectioners’ sugar over squares, if desired. (Bars can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; crust will soften slightly.)

Perfect Lemon Bars

Ingredients

Instructions

Tags

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