Description
Alton Brown’s lemon bars blend zesty citrus with buttery shortbread for a classic dessert delight. Crisp crust and tangy filling create a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors you’ll crave.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (600g) sugar
- 8 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup (240mL) fresh lemon juice
- ⅔ cups (66g) powdered sugar
- 12 tbsps (170g) unsalted butter (melted)
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsps lemon zest (zest of 3 lemons)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Crust Preparation: Mix flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl. Blend with melted butter until a cohesive dough forms, gently incorporating a hint of vanilla for depth.
- Baking Foundation: Transfer dough into a parchment-lined 9×13 inch baking dish, pressing firmly to create an even, smooth base. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until achieving a delicate golden hue.
- Lemon Sugar Infusion: Process granulated sugar with fresh lemon zest in a food processor until achieving a pale, vibrant yellow color that releases intense citrus aromatics.
- Filling Construction: Whisk eggs and lemon juice together, integrating the zested sugar and remaining flour until achieving a silky, uniform mixture with no lingering lumps.
- Final Baking Process: Pour lemon filling over the warm crust, ensuring complete coverage. Return to the oven, rotating midway, and bake for 25 minutes until the filling sets with a gentle wobble.
- Cooling and Presentation: Allow bars to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 2 hours. Once chilled, dust generously with powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve and slice with a hot water-cleaned knife for pristine edges.
Notes
- Zest Technique: Finely grate lemon zest before mixing with sugar to maximize flavor intensity and prevent bitter chunks.
- Crust Perfection: Press dough firmly and evenly to create a stable, uniform base that prevents crumbling when slicing.
- Temperature Trick: Allow bars to cool completely before cutting to ensure clean, precise edges and proper structural integrity.
- Moisture Management: Use hot water when slicing to prevent sticky residue and achieve professional-looking, smooth bar cuts.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 452
- Sugar: 47g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 186mg