Lemon Bars
For a 13-by-9 dish. We have used a glass and sometimes a metal
dish.
|
7½oz |
|
Option 1: Flour |
|
6oz |
|
Option 2: Flour and |
|
2½oz |
|
Rice flour |
|
1½oz |
50g |
Powdered sugar |
Pinch |
|
|
Salt |
1½ stick |
6oz |
|
Butter, cold |
4 |
|
|
Eggs
|
3/4c |
6oz |
|
Gran. sugar |
¼t |
|
|
Lemon oil (pure) |
1c |
8oz |
|
Lemon juice (¼-1/3 lime is good) |
¼c |
2oz |
|
Option a: whole milk |
1T |
|
|
Option b: cream |
3T |
|
|
Flour |
1/8t |
|
|
Salt |
|
|
|
Powedered sugar for dusting |
- Preheat to 350F / 175C / Gas mark 4;
- Line base and sides of 13-by-9 with wax paper, or
parchment, and anchor with smears of butter;
- Whisk flour(s), sugar, and salt together;
- Cut in butter, perhaps slicing butter thinly first, even
freezing for a few minutes;
- Spread over base of baking dish, and press down flat;
- Ideally chill for at least 30mins;
- Bake for 20-30mins, until lightly golden (will be slightly
darker at edges);
- Turn oven down to 325F;
- Mix eggs, sugar, lemon oil and milk and cream, if using, in
metal bowl over simmering water until sugar dissolves;
- Add lemon juice and mix;
- Optionally the mixture can be heated to make curd (see
recipe for lemon curd) until it just thickens (150F);
- Remove from saucepan;
- Whisk in flour and salt (or mix flour with a little liquid
and back in and mix);
- Pour over crust and bake until just set: for 15-20mins if
you have thickened the curd, 20-30mins if you removed after mixing in
the juice;
- Allow to cool before cutting.
Other notes:
- Skimmed milk can be used if 1T cream is added.
- The recipe works fine with or without the milk.
If no milk is used, 1T cream adds smoothness and balances the
acidity.
- I find it hard to cut the base when it is fridge-cold.
Copyright © 2008, Alex Stark. All rights reserved.