lemon bars
January is always the time of year when most of us get caught up in the winter produce doldrums, fueled by the dearth of flavorful fruit and the overabundance of hard, starchy vegetables. But I find if I set my mind on citrus, I can carefully sidestep most bouts of Farmer’s Market Mourning. There are few things teeming with more promise of a sunnier tomorrow than sour-sweet piercing members of the rutaceae family, and I’ve got an archive full of margarita cookies, lemon bundts, orange chocolate chunks, grapefruit loaves and key lime tartlets that should assure you that you need not feel that you are missing out just because the peaches and berries have gone into hibernation.
But I haven’t had a lemon bar in there before now, despite repeated requests and, heck, even pleading for one by various people inside my computer. You’d think it is because I’m stubborn but it actually that my bar (ha) for lemon bars has been set very high by my mother, who has an award-winning recipe somewhere in her files. Upon request, she sent it to me a couple years ago, but when they didn’t come out the way I had remembered, her response was “oh, I must have sent you the wrong one.” Tell me, if you had a recipe for lemon bars that you had won you a cooking contest, why would you have a second version in your box that wasn’t as good? Perhaps if you ask her, you’ll get further than I did.
This about brings us to New Years Eve, when I decided at the very last minute to make lemon bars, and with little time to get my mom to proffer up the correct recipe, went for Ina Garten’s widely-praised one instead. Guess what? They were almost as I remembered mom’s to be. “Almost.” The thing is, and this is really just me being really nit-picky, I have a personal taste for more of a 1:1 ratio between the shortbread base and quick lemon curd on top. The shortbread on these was just fine, but the topping a little… thick. (Also, soft, but I am certain that is because I should have baked it longer, or added an additional large egg.)
Nonetheless, with a few adjustments, I am certain my mother will approve of this recipe. It is tart, intense and deliciously contrasted with the cookie below, really the best of both worlds–and if you close your eyes and concentrate real hard, you might even forget that they’re calling for snow next week.
Bloggie Nominations: Nominations for the 2008 Bloggies are open, and will be between now and Jan. 11 and there is (clears throat) a Food Blog category. Each category requires three nominations for your input to count (though you are not required to fill out all categories if, say, your only interest is food blogs), so dare I suggest that you mosey on over to the left sidebar in the “Tasty” category for some inspiration? [Eighth Annual Weblog Award Nominations]
Related to exactly nothing: Why did it take me like five days to post about lemon bars? Because I bought a new computer this weekend and its hard to adjust to writing on a new machine. I’m not used to things being so … pretty. And running so quickly and not crashing a lot. I mean, what’s up with that?
One year ago: English Muffins, Everyday Pancakes and Salad Lyonnaise
Lemon Bars
Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
These are bold and tart lemon bars, ones I feel are best in smaller doses than Ina Garten suggests. I’ve made a few changes to the recipe–increased the salt in the crust, reduced the sugar in the lemon filling and an encouragement to grease your pan, as mine were all but cemented into their non-stick pan. For those of you who like the 1:1 crust to lemon layer ratio, use the second option.
Prep Time: 40 minutes (30 inactive)
Cook Time: 55 minutes
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 full-size lemon layer:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
[Or] for a thinner lemon layer:
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (3 to 4 lemons)
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet.
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 the greased 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 lemon layer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (less if you are using the thinner topping), or about five minutes beyond the point where the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
There are about 452,005 Lutheran women in Minnesota who are slumbering with good dream because you posted a lemon bar recipe. :) But these bars look like they’d kick the bootay out of what I’m used to eating.
You can bet your buttons I’ll nominate your blog - love it. Love it.
But I am quite jealous of you and your new machine. It’s ok, though, you saved me now a couple of times when I’ve had to cook for a group. People are still loving those brussell sprouts with capers…
Citrus remains one of my most favorite things to create desserts with and that new microplane I have calls my name in the middle of the night. I must make these for dessert this weekend for a couple of friends. I only hope that they will appreciate them like I do!
Congrats on the Apple! My iBook was dropped on my bathroom floor a couple of weeks ago… oddly enough, right after reading one of your posts (see, it’s true what the readers say… they really are that good). I’ll be ordering a new MacBook later this week needless to say.
Ina sure does know what she’s talking about.
When the lemon gets to be a little too… *lemony* I enjoy splitting all that lemon juice and zest with lime juice and zest. Makes it a little more complex.
Thank you for my weekend project!
These look great! I’ll be making them soon - it’s a good excuse for me to pick up a microplane grater too. Thank you!
Yum! I got a microplane for Xmas and have been waiting for a recipe to use it. It just so happens that lemon bars are my favorite! I guess it was meant to be :) Also, loving your tip of the day!
Have made these before and they are delicious!
I also just got a new machine like yours…so I can understand your pain/joy!!
I’m so excited you got a mac. It will make blogging for us…I mean your life…so much easier. :)
I KNEW IT !! Pretty . . . running quickly . . . new machine . . . welcome. I LOVE leopard. Seriously. I worship it. I happen to be new to the apple world - no, not the food apple, the computer apple - and don’t know how I existed so long on a PC. Enjoy! Oh, and lemon bars happen to be one of my favoritest treats of all time - right behind good cheesecake or, God forbid, lemon cheesecake! I can’t wait to try these. All my friends now genuflect every time the Christmas cookies come up. Thanks, Deb!
Voted for ya!!! You are a doll (cute freckles), and hilarious! I made the peanut butter cookies today for my son to hand out at school for his birthday…it is tradition after all. They were perfect, delicious! Also made the whole lemon tart-YUM! And have told a dozen people about your blog. Love your clean layout and the pictures are outstanding. Keep at it!
This recipe is being saved for use for a girls’ night gathering I’m having in a couple of weeks. Thanks!
I had a tasty lemon bar recipe a few years back but it was completed beaten by a coworker’s recipe at some potluck event. Hers called for a smidgen of almond extract and it was amazing! I might have to halve your recipe (the light-on-the-lemon version) and try a bit o’ almond in one half.
I still can’t believe she showed me up like that.
Congratulations and welcome to the world of Mac, Deb. Thanks for the truffle recipe - a hit. Also, the espresso chocolate chip shortbread? another hit. I added crushed cornflake crumbs for some crunchy texture. Folks were digging it :)
You had me at “Lemon bars.” But first, I have to try your margarita cookies!
Oh my gosh I think I just had a sugar overload just looking at these pictures. I may have to make these for my sister sometime soon.
are you annoyed with my helpful hints yet?
My favorite way to make lemon desserts more lemony is to pulse/ “grind” lemon (or any citrus) zest with sugar in food processor and then either 1. pass it through a tamis (=large flat sifter) if I need it right away or 2. let it sit for a long time and then pass whatever I’m making through a fine meshed sieve.
My own experience is that actual citrus zest is not terribly palatable, but the oils they release are magnificent.
Stunning photos, btw. I’ll hope they’re at flickr where I can call one of them my favorite…
Flour in the lemon? That´s new. I´ve usually done it with corntarch, or just yolks as thickeners. Must try. Though of course there´s no thrill like the thrill of a new Mac, I bet a lemony rush is pretty good too, and I have some lemons I picked myself to use, which is always nice.
It’s weird how everyone gets these citrus cravings at this time of year. I don’t think it’s through a longing for Summer, but rather just because it’s so refreshing after all that stodge.
I love Lemon bars, and these are perfect.
Oh yum yum yum! I love lemon anything. My favorite has always been lemon cheesecake but a good lemon bar isn’t anything to sneeze at! I can’t remember the last time I had a lemon bar so I suspect that means I should get busy making new memories….haha
I agree. I really think that people who make lemon bars and have some skintzy small layer of lemon are just… wrong! and the whole point of a lemon bar is to enjoy the whole lemon curd-ey-ness with the shortbread.
Now, on to the matter of your mother. Perhaps she didn’t want you having her prize-winning recipe, perhaps the thought of mother-daughter sabotage? (I jest, really I do. I just speak from bitterness that my grandmother didn’t share her shortbread nipple cookies before her death.)
Congrats on your new toy - we just got one too - about a month ago. I’ve been trying to fidget with iPhoto and I want to return to Picasa… Are you finding iPhoto to be more tricky or did you figure out some neat tricks? :)
YUMMMMM! I hear ya on the citrus cravings: I have been eating oranges like they are going out of style…..
Congrats on the new ‘puter! :-)
The photos are lovely! I’m a bit averse to tart flavors so I’ve never been one for lemon bars myself, but I definitely agree about saturating on tubers…
You have just made my week. Merci.
I love these lemon bars exactly as written, though I line my baking sheet with reynolds release foil. Gotta love Ina!
Hooray on the new computer- I’m a dedicated Mac user, laptop, iPhone, everything. While iPhoto is convenient, I find that when I upload my photos into iPhoto the colors are slightly dulled, whereas if I use Photoshop or PictureProject the colors are better. Don’t know if you’ve noticed the same thing…
What a bunch of Apple Faithful! I should have guessed. ;) The PC fanatics I work with a probably rolling their eyes right now.
Shuna — I love your tips and only wish you could leave them everyday.
Sharon — I hope you didn’t have to learn by trial and error as well!
Mercedes — I’m actually trying to figure out how to get my actually purchased (I know, who buys it) Photoshop Elements from my PC to my Mac. Yeah, not so much.
Unrelated, but: Anybody want to weigh in on what Word Processor they use? Use one of those pretty, new-fangled ones? I’m very used to Word, but it seems odd put it on a PC–I’d wait until the 15th anyway, when then next version comes out. I’m trying Google Docs for a few weeks, and no likey.
Argh! Just rub it in! I miss my Meyer lemon trees!
Aii, lemon bars, the stuff of every church social EVER.
I’ve decided to make the Mac switch too and since so MANY in this comments have/are too, maybe you’ll some day do a non-food post. Over the weekend, the WSJ/maybe NYT had a piece about people ‘freeing’ themselves from Word with something called Scrivener.
As far as word processing, the only thing that I would suggest is if you do any of your writing for work from home, get something compatible - yes, it may seem odd to load Office on your new Mac, but the thing is that Office is what a majority of the working world uses. It would be kind of a hassle to have to download a program just to open Mac documents if I had a PC.
These look absolutely divine & are certainly one of my favorite non-chocolate recipes. Can’t wait to try yours!
Just a suggestion, but can you make it so that your ‘links’ when exited, do NOT exit your site. I do that on my site, and that way when someone leaves a ‘link’ they automatically go back to the original site. Now when I exit out of a link, unless I go ‘back’, I’m out of smittenkitchen altogether.
Love your photography, it’s inspiring!
How timely! We’re hosting a Nancy Drew themed 12th birthday party in 2 weeks. In the ND movie released this summer, ND’s lemon squares are either her or her housekeeper’s signiture snack. It’s used to coerce reluctant witnesses to spill their guts. We’ll definately try this for the party.
Thanks!
I am in love! I tried out various lemon bar recipes in college. I had just started cooking and did not have my trustworthy recipes from my favorite people yet. I tried lemon bars three times and gave up. To this day, it’s the only time I did not follow through with my own test kitchen type trial. THANK YOU! I am sure this will do the trick. Can’t wait to make these.
i love lemon bars! they were my favorite when i was a kid. :-) it’s so funny — usually i’m not crazy about lemon as a flavor in chicken, vegetable, pasta dishes, but i LOVE these. AND i got a new mac for christmas too! i’m obsessed with the screen — everything looks so pretty! my old law school laptop was definitely on its last legs. :-)
Have you thought of adapting this to a whole lemon recipe? If not, do you think it is possible? I am intrigued by the idea of using the whole lemon.
You’re my new love Deb. The photos! the recipes! the WRITING! I discovered your blog just before Christmas when I was researching the Cook’s Illustrated pie dough. Yeah, the one with the Vodka. :) Since then I have become completely enamoured.
So I’ve been using Mac’s since 1984, and I can tell you that I’ve always used Microsoft WORD as my word processor. Loading Office into your Mac will be one of the simplest things you’ve ever done. That being said, when I purchased my current Macbook, I also purchased Apple’s “iWork”. The word processing and the spreadsheet programs are so well done… I’ve found myself using Pages, and Numbers for most of my heavy lifting now. When they go out I send them out as Word or Excel files. (No one knows ;)
Thank you so much for a wonderful website. Now I’m so hungry I’m gonna try the lemon, chicken, mushroom, goulash, empanadas… ;P
I have an excellent Whole Lemon Tart recipe here: http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/06/two-of-tarts/ and I bet it would work wonderfully on a shortbread base. I’d probably halve the shortbread recipe above, press it into an 8″ square and use the whole lemon topping instead. Do let me know if you try it. I have been eager to, myself.
Lemon Bars look very good! Now that the holidays are over I think Lemon Bars will be a nice treat - I am taking a break from chocolate. Love your lemon zester. I have the same one.
Sharona may
http://birdfood-sharona.blogspot.com/
Welcome to Apple! Congrats. They make you a better person in general. Now you need the iPhone and your whole life will be perfect!
Would it be awfully mean of me if I just happened to mention that because we have had a warmer than usual winter the strawberries are coming into season a month early here in Fl?
Oh, it would then I won’t say anything of the kind to all of you people up north.
You know I don’t think I have ever had a lemon bar? Hmm, might have to make some to see what all of the fuss is about. Would it be sacreligious if I topped each one with a strawberry slice, after baking, or some strawberry juice drizzled on top? I just love the strawberry lemonade flavor combo.
You are such a good influence! I went out a bought the latest Gourmet Magazine so I could make the caramel cake. (Did you see the greens with cornmeal dumplings, featherlight yeast rolls, cream of cope’s corn soup, fresh coconut cake and mile-high chocolate cake?) I digress. These bars look absolutely yummy. I like mine good and tart, so thanks for the modifications.
I’m jealous of the Apple. I’m a wannabe using Vista :-(
I am a fan of the 1:1 ratio, too. In nearly any tart, bar, or other fruit-related recipe, I like the cookie, crust, or crumble part better than the filling, and I also don’t like any of it to be all that sweet.
And these are great! So buttery. I used less filling.
The only things in my fridge when I returned from vacation yesterday were a bag of meyer lemons and some butter…and now this post - clearly, a sign from above that I need to make lemon bars.
how many lemons do you need to get one cup of juice?
You are SO reading my mind. I asked Scott to buy me a bag of limes. He brought 2 bags of lemons home instead.
I was blogsurfing looking for a way to use up 2 bags of lemons. Perfect. Now I can make enough lemon bars to feed half the county!
Maureen — Though many people go by the 4 lemons = 1 cup equation, lemons range so widely in size and how much juice is within them, I always feel safer buying an extra one or two. When I made these, I ended up with super-juicy lemons, and think I was able to get 1 cup from 3.5 of them (also with an electric juicer, which is more thorough). Hope that helps.
Citrus Citrus Citrus! I love citrus - especially THIS TIME OF YEAR! I absolutely LOVE lemon bars, but haven’t baked them in AGES. YUM YUM in my TUM!
Amazing photos! I’m goin’ for your first thicker version—yum!
The lemons bars look so moist and good! Great photos!
as a liberatarian vegitarienne humaniterryan, i must say LEMON BARS F#@&ING ROCK MY SOX! oh yeah! gonna have mah’ suggah momma make these for supper tomorrow. lemon bars and cheezy-ketchup meatloaf. ohhhhh–yeah!
I can be so dense sometimes (thumping myself on the head)! I love lemon bars (or squares, as we call them)! I have gobs of gorgeous lemons dropping off of the lemon tree in my backyard. Why, oh why, am I filling ice cube trays with lemon juice instead of making these beauties?
I made these today and they are to die for! It was 75 and gorgeously sunny today in DC and eating one of these lemon bars just made it feel even more like spring time!
DEB! You’ve got me hooked on your blog! I am definately voting for you. As for this recipe, my sis-in-law has been asking me to try lemon bars out (she loves them). So this recipe is definately being saved up in my to-do list!
Your blog and your pics are extremely inspiring and keep me coming back for more every day!
I’m also a Mac user and have used nothing but Office for my word processing. It’s really easy to use (the fact that I was able to buy it for $25 with my student discount did not hurt either though).
Enough of that though - these bars look amazing! I’m not big into chocolate so these are right up my alley.
Hey glad to see your got a mac. I’ve been using one for about 5 years (Biologists love macs). In my opinion, even better than how awesome the products is, is how awesome the mac zealots are. If you had said you got a PC there would not be this outpouring of excitement and congratulations; all the mac people I’ve ever met are always willing to help you with any problem you may have, just because of their love affair with the mac. So, welcome to the club!
Onto more culinary affairs, I tried this recipe this evening (literally its still cooling) but it does not seem to have to have come out just right. I tried the full topping but the filling seems to have come out very opaque not translucent and bright light yours. Even more there seems to have developed a very thin crust. I’m sure it will still taste amazing, but any ideas on what happened? Too much flour, too hot too long? The scientist in me needs to know, thanks!
I was drooling over this recipe on your site all afternoon yesterday. When I went home last night, I was flipping through my new Crate and Barrel catalog and surprise! They are selling a boxed mix of this exact Barefoot Contessa recipe! For $10 freakin’ dollars though. I’d rather make it from scratch for that kind of money.
Mmmm. Macs and lemon bars. They do inspire such deep devotion. And I too, am a complete devotée — of both. Specially since my husband just bought me a new MacBook for ChristmaHanuKwanzaakah.
These lemon bars look completely luscious. Can you forgive me if, unsolicited, I share with you my absolute all-time favorite version? It’s Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Ultimate Lemon Butter Bar. They come closer to your favored ratio of cookie crust to lemon curd, but they’re a bit more labor-intensive, requiring cooking the lemon curd before you bake it onto the pre-baked shortbread crust — and they are so, so worth it. Just give the recipe a look (or maybe an actual try):
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/105890
And I don’t get too crazy with it. Like, I skip the step of straining the lemon curd, ‘cos I’m lazy and I don’t mind the little lemon zest strings, but they are still unbelievable lemon bars.
Julie — Great minds! I was hoping to take a crack at Rose Levy’s next. I know it has a lot of steps, but I suspect that it is at least as awesome as the gushing commenters suggest. I do try not to get put off by her oh-so-needly instructions; it’s rarely as complicated as she makes it sound.
Deb, I have never had lemon bars! These are luxurious!
YEAH! I loved the recipe. I made my crusts thicker and since I really enjoy tart, I decreased the sugar a bit. LOOOVED IT.
congrats on the mac!! and those awesome looking lemon bars to boot! :)
citrus is the only way i can sanely deal with winter. i am definitely going to try this recipe soon.
as for the word processing … i have iworks, but since everything else (work and school papers) are office, i got the office version for mac. i would not bother with getting bootcamp unless absolutely positively necessary for some other program.
We got office for the Mac when we made the switch from our PC. It’s great to use, except for the few keystroke combinations I still can’t seem to figure out for the Mac. I’m working around that, though and am now a definite Mac devotee. I may have to give these lemon bars a try this weekend. Although my diet is shouting “NO” in my ear. I may have to wait for my birthday later in the month for the splurge. Lemon bars beat out birthday cake any day of the week.
These look so sunny and cheerful. A welcome sight as the next winter storm hits Oregon. Have you tried making lemon bars with Meyer lemons? They are truly heavenly.
Oh, Lemon bars are one of my favorite, favorite desserts. Yours look great–nice ratio of lemon to shortbready crust. They look to have a great consistency too–not too gelatinous as they can sometimes be.
I made Meyer lemon bars today following the recipe in the Oreo Cookie cookbook that has been so inspiring for many of us! Though the recipe called for regular lemons, the Meyer lemon gave the custard the slightest orange glimmer of both flavor and color. The recipe in Brachman’s book yields a mighty-tart, salivation-inducing cookie that is positively addictive. Fortunately, the recipe is for a 7×11 inch pan - perfect for a family of two!
I made these lemon bars with a friend today. Living in Denmark, neither of had ever heard of it (is it American?), but now we’re hooked! They were so delicious. But really fils you up quickly.
We almost doubled the baking time, though (made the thick layer). After 35 minutes the lemon layer was still completely fluid…
Made a batch yesterday on a large baking sheet using Meyer lemons from a friend’s tree to contribute to the Heather Gold show - she encourages baking treats in trade for admission. Luckily for us the audience was moderate in size, and not ravenous; we got to bring a few odd shaped pieces from the corners home.
Oh, I made the crust with half almond meal which accomplishes some of what Robin (comment 10) was aiming at with almond extract.
Thanks for another winner, Deb! I’ve had these bookmarked for a long time, just waiting for the perfect opportunity. My husband doesn’t really love lemon bars, so I wanted to make sure I could take them to a party where there would be tons of other desserts for him. Tonight was that party–and they were a SMASH HIT! Everyone loved them–including my husband (!) and a co-worker who says she is a self-confessed lemon bar expert (she had four or five of them).
They are perfect–not too tart, not too sweet–and really easy to make, actually (I made the thinner layer of lemon, and they were awesome). An impressive dessert! :) Thanks again!