Lemon Butter Bars

Name: Lemon Butter Bars
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: Base (for the shortbread); Ingredients (ingredients); 142 gm Unsalted Butter (but not hard cold); 180 gm All Purpose Flour (or flour, or maida plain flour maida); 25 gm Granulated Sugar; 14 gm Powdered Sugar; Lemon (or curd for the curd); Ingredients (ingredients); 3 large Egg yolk (or); 150 gm Powdered Sugar (plus); 20 ml Lemon Juice (indian lemons); 57 gm Unsalted Butter (softened); 1 tsp Salt (if you use salted butter do not add this pinch of extra salt, or as per taste); 2 tsp Lemon Zest

Amrita Iyer

Lemon Butter Bars - Plattershare - Recipes, food stories and food lovers

American

About Lemon Butter Bars

These are great cookies for Christmas dinner parties and sending to short distances like to your neighbours!This is a delicious shortbread base with the ultimate Lemon Curd topping!I guarantee you one thing - One bite of this and your mouth is completely refreshed by the citrusy,lemony taste and the shortbread melts in your mouth!These cookies are worth trying for the season as they are different from the usual Christmas bakes! A great recipe by Rose Levy Beranbaum!

4 from 3 votes

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Recipe Time & More

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time2 hours hrs

Served AsSnacks

Recipe TasteSalty Sour Spicy Sweet Tangy

Servings - 12

Ingredients

▢ Base for the shortbread
▢ Ingredients ingredients
▢ 142 gm Unsalted Butter but not hard cold
▢ 180 gm All Purpose Flour or flour, or maida plain flour maida
▢ 25 gm Granulated Sugar
▢ 14 gm Powdered Sugar
▢ Lemon or curd for the curd
▢ Ingredients ingredients
▢ 3 large Egg yolk or
▢ 150 gm Powdered Sugar plus
▢ 20 ml Lemon Juice indian lemons
▢ 57 gm Unsalted Butter softened
▢ 1 tsp Salt if you use salted butter do not add this pinch of extra salt, or as per taste
▢ 2 tsp Lemon Zest

Instructions

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FOR THE SHORTBREAD BASE : Preheat oven to 160°C.
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In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with an electric whisk till smooth and fluffy.Add the flour and start mixing with the tips of your fingers.We do not want to make a dough but want everything to come together and incorporate well.
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Pack this mixture into the prepared pan spreading and levelling it well and covering the base of the pan.Prick all over with a fork and bake in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour till the edges start turning brown and the middle is golden brown.
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Do not bake more than this.While the Shortbread is baking,make the Lemon Curd!
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FOR THE LEMON CURD : Keep a strainer ready over a pan or a saucepan.
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In another saucepan add yolks and sugar and beat with a spatula till well blended.Add the juice,butter and salt and cook on the lowest heat possible for 5 - 6 minutes till the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
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Keep stirring all the while.The mixture should change from transparent to opaque and look like a custard.
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Please do not boil as the eggs will get cooked leaving you with a lemon omelette which you do not want!
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Strain the curd through the strainer pressing it with the back of a spoon or a spatula to squeeze out maximum curd.Discard any residue in the strainer.
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MAKING THE BARS : Pour the Lemon Curd over the prepared Shortbread base and spread with a spatula covering the top completely.Reduce heat in the oven to 150°C and cook the lemon curd covered Shortbread for 10 - 12 minutes.
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Take out and leave to cool by itself in the pan.Refrigerate for 30 -45 minutes and take out.
▢
Run a knife around the edges and gently remove the slab of shortbread.It will come out easily and place it on a cutting board.With a long and sharp knife cut it into four equal strips and cut each strip into a further of 3 bars each.
▢
Dust the bars with powdered/icing sugar and serve with tea!

Recipe Notes

NOTE – Indian Lemons are smaller and much bitter than Lemons found abroad.So when the original recipe calls for 2 big Lemons and 94ml of juice,in India the quantity is 2 Indian Lemons and approximately 20 – 25 ml juice!

Use the tips of your fingers for mixing the dough for the base.The warmth in them turns out perfect shortbread dough!

Use a 7 inch square pan greased and floured or sprayed with baking spray.

Explore Recipes by Tags baking recipes christmas recipes

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4 from 3 votes

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Amrita Iyer

I am a passionate foodie who loves to cook, serve and love to see people relishing my creations. Since the time I was small I used to wonder about the 'how' of things in the kitchen.

Then when I finally ventured as an unprofessional kitchen helper for my late grand-mother (a par excellent cook in her own generation) I was fascinated by the amount of stuff you could do to a simple milk and rice to form a most yummy pudding.

Here I am sharing my recipes with a will to learn from some and educate others as well!

3 Comments

SANJAY SHAHI

June 21, 2021 / 8:35 am Log in to Reply

This looks divine! Can’t wait to make it.
Ravikant Yadav

September 7, 2017 / 3:21 pm Log in to Reply

I’m loving this recipe already!
Priyanka Malik

March 15, 2016 / 5:17 pm Log in to Reply

What a delicious idea! Thanks for sharing.