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From Cook's Illustrated - May/June, 1998 |
Crust |
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1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour |
3/4 teaspoon salt |
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus extra to
decorate |
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
(1 ½ sticks), cold, cut into 1-inch pieces, plus extra
for greasing pan |
Filling |
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1/4 cup cornstarch |
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4 large eggs, beaten lightly |
2/3 cup juice from 3 to 4 large lemons,
strained |
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (I usually use
no more than 1 cup and have great results.) |
1/3 cup whole milk |
3 tablespoons all purpose flour |
1/8 teaspoon salt |
2 teaspoons finely grated zest from two
large lemons (Don't worry about measuring, use the zest of
two lemons; just the yellow, no white pith) |
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For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position
and heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking
dish and line with one sheet parchment or wax paper. Dot paper
with butter, lay second sheet crosswise over it. Be sure to leave
extra paper up the sides of the pan. (You are crossing the two
sheets of paper, which will become the means of lifting the lemon
bars out of the pan in one piece. This is in order to avoid the
bars falling apart in the pan if cut in the pan.) |
Pulse flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and
salt in food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade. Add
butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then pulse until
mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three
1-secornd bursts. (To do this by hand, mix flour, confectioners'
sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl. Keep butter very cold
and when ready to use cut into very small pieces and toss the
butter bits in the flour to coat. Rub pieces between your fingers
for a minute, until flour turns pale yellow and coarse.) Remember,
the mixture is not dough, it is a coarse flour mixture. Sprinkle
mixture into lined pan and press firmly with fingers into even,
1/4-inch layer over entire pan bottom and about ½ -inch up sides.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then back until golden brown, about 20
minutes. |
For the filling: Meanwhile, whisk eggs, sugar and
flour in medium bowl, then stir in lemon juice, zest, milk, and
salt to blend well. |
To finish the bars: To finish
the bars: 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; cool at least 30 minutes. Remove the bars from the pan by
grasping the parchment/wax paper firmly by the lengthwise edges of
the pan and lifting the bars onto a cutting board. Fold the paper
down off the edges, and cut into serving-size bars, wiping knife
or pizza cutter clean between cuts, as necessary. Sieve
confectioners' sugar over bars, if desired. |
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