Meyer Lemon Bars

Ah, winter is here. I much prefer sunny, warm weather, so the one bright spot during this chilly season is the arrival of Meyer lemons. I started testing this recipe at the tail end of their season last spring and struggled with it. The filling sunk beneath the crust and I tabled it, until now. After my third test, I got it and I’m glad I can share the recipe with you. If you have any alternative ideas to what I came up with, please do let me know in the comments below! Would love to hear them.

Meyer lemons are so lovely to work with because they have a sweeter, less puckery tartness than Eureka. If you prefer the latter, you can adjust the sugar down to 2/3 cup. The texture of the curd is soft, almost custard-like, but holds its shape when cutting. Enjoy!

Meyer Lemon Bars
Makes 12-16

Crust:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick chilled unsalted butter, cubed

Filling:
3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 TB lemon zest
3/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice, from about 6 small lemons
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Lightly butter an 8 x 8” baking pan. Line the inside with two 8 x 16” foil slings, perpendicular, leaving a 2” overhang.

In the food processor, add granulated sugar and lemon zest. Pulse a few times to infuse the sugar with the lemon flavor. Add the flour and salt. Pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse to combine, until the dough begins to clump together.

Spread the dough into the pan. Press evenly along the bottom and tightly against the sides of the foil, sloping about 1/4” up, to help the filling stay in place.

Bake for 20 min until golden and dry on top. Rotate the pan halfway through.

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.

In a medium, non-reactive bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and salt, and whisk well to combine and mixture is slightly thickened. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest until combined.

Pour into a medium, non-reactive saucepan. Cook on medium heat, whisking often, until the curd thickens and a thermometer registers 170 F, about 8-10 min. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into the medium bowl. Whisk in the butter until it dissolves.

Once the crust is baked, transfer to a wire rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 F.

Pour the curd into the hot crust. This allows the filling to start cooking and setting immediately and prevents soaking into the crust.

Bake for 8-10 min or until set on the edges but filling still wobbly. It’ll set more as it cools. Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 hours.

Once cool, gently lift the edges of the parchment to remove the lemon bar slab onto a cutting board and cut into 12 or 16 squares. Just before serving, dust tops with powdered sugar.

If you make these, I’d love to see! Tag me on Instagram @pastrywithjenn.