Life is Great

Meyer Lemon Bars

Adapted barely from David Lebovitz's Whole Lemon Bars.
Yield: 8" square pan.

Note: The use of one whole lemon in this recipe totally makes it. I'm personally not fussy about whether or not the citrus is organic, considering the price of such produce here may be too much for many. I used all Meyer lemon in this recipe, but many bakers experienced with Meyer versus regular lemon would vouch for the latter. Try the variations yourself and decide!

Crust:

• 1 cup/140 grams flour
• 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons/115 grams melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Lemon Topping:

• 1 regular or Meyer lemon, organic or unsprayed
• 1 cup/200 grams sugar
• 3 tablespoons/45 milliliters freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 4 teaspoons corn starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons/45 grams melted unsalted butter
• powdered sugar, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil, pressing to nudge neatly into the corners. Lightly butter or spray the surface . In a medium bowl, mix the flour, 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 8 tablespoons/115 grams melted butter, and vanilla, stirring just until smooth. Smooth the batter into the bottom of the pan, using your hands or a small offset spatula to get leveled. Bake for 25 minutes, or until deep-golden brown.

While the crust is cooking, cut the whole lemon in half, remove the seeds, and cut into chunks. Put the chunks of lemon in a food processor or blender along with the sugar and lemon juice, and let it run until the lemon is completely broken up. Add the eggs, corn starch, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 3 tablespoons/45 grams melted butter, and blend until almost smooth, leaving tiny bits of lemon in the mix.

When the crust comes out of the oven, reduce the heat of the oven to 300ºF/150ºC. Pour the lemon filling over the hot crust and bake for 25 minutes or just until the filling stops jiggling and is barely set. Remove and let cool completely. Once cool, carefully lift out the bars grasping the foil. Cut the bars into squares or rectangles. Sift powdered sugar over the top just before serving, if desired.

Bars keep in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days and up to a month in the freezer. Rest to room temperature before serving.