Lemon Curd Bars
Lemon forward curd tops a fruity jam and crisp nutty base for a refreshing treat.
Lemon Curd Bars
Makes 8-12 triangular bars
The number one lemon dessert in my family is Lemon Icebox Pie. We have used the same family recipe for years. My mother modified it slightly when I was a child and that is the version I grew up eating and replicating for family functions. It is probably the only recipe I actually know by heart. These lemon curd bars were my way of taking a family recipe ad making it something new and exciting.
The curd is bright and tart the jam is fruity and the base is crisp and buttery.
“Recipe Tips:
1. Quince jam may be difficult to come by if you aren’t making it yourself however it can be substituted with store-bought quince paste thinned very slightly with 1 t water to make it spreadable.
2. Do not use ground Sichuan peppercorn in the filling as the flavor is not the same as the whole.
3. Bars can be frozen and eaten directly from the freezer for up to 3 months.”
Ingredients
Shortbread
112g (8 T) butter – divided into 70g (5 T) and 42g (3 T)
4g (1 t) vanilla extract
130g (1 c) AP Flour
60g (0.25 c) sugar
1g (0.25 t) kosher salt
Lemon Curd
180ml (0.75 c + 2 T) fresh lemon juice
1 - 2 t whole Sichuan peppercorns
435g (1.75 c + 1 T) sugar
8g (2 .5 t) cornstarch
1g (0.25 t) kosher salt
4 large eggs
Zest of 1.5 lemons
14g (1 T) butter, cubed and kept cold
1 T heavy cream
Filling
120g (heaped 1/3 c) quince jam or other berry preserves
Finishing
Powdered sugar
Recipe Know-how
Shortbread
1. Line the bottom and inside of a round 20cm (8 in) pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
When using a metal pan, lining the sides will prevent a metallic taste from developing when the acidic curd touches and bakes in the pan.
2. In a small saucepan, brown the larger measure of butter. Remove from the heat.
Add the smaller measure of butter, stirring until completely melted. Cool to room temperature.
Add the vanilla and mix well.
3. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar and salt.
Pour the butter into the flour mixture and mix until well combined.
Pour into prepared pan and press to form a tight flat base with a small lip along the sides.
Prick the base with a fork.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 160 C / 325 F.
Bake crust for 20 - 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown and puffed slightly.
Remove to a cooling rack.
Make curd while the crust cools.
Curd
5. In a medium heatproof bowl place the lemon zest and set aside.
6. In a separate medium heatproof bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt whisking well.
Add eggs and mix until well combined.
7. Place lemon juice and peppercorns into a medium non-reactive pot.
Heat until steaming heavily.
Slowly stream the hot lemon juice into the egg mixture.
Pour mixture back into the pot and place over a medium flame.
Whisking constantly heat the mixture to boiling.
The curd should boil across the surface of the liquid and not just the sides. To ensure that it does, you will have to stop whisking for a few seconds to gauge the temperature.
Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom thoroughly while stirring to avoid stagnancy and overcooked bits in the curd.
Continue whisking vigorously for 30 seconds after a boil has been reached.
Do not boil for longer than 45 seconds at this point or the curd may not set.
Pour curd into a strainer over the lemon zest.
Using a spatula, push curd through the strainer to catch any possible overcooked bits of curd or egg.
Scrape the bottom of the strainer prior to moving on to the next step.
Stirring vigorously, mix in butter and heavy cream until the butter has fully melted. Set aside.
8. Spread the quince over the surface of the still warm crust.
Pour the curd over the quince shaking gently to level.
Tap the pan on the work surface a few times to release any air pockets.
9. Bake the bars for 25 – 30 minutes in a 160 C / 325 F oven.
Begin checking the bars at the 25-minute mark. It is ready when the curd jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken. If the curd is not yet properly set, cook in 3 – 5 minute intervals longer until the proper doneness has been reached.
Remove pan from oven and cool completely.
Once cool, move the pan to the refrigerator and chill until completely cold at least 4 – 6 hours.
10. Remove the pan from the refrigerator.
Run a thin knife around the outside of the parchment between the pan.
If a metal pan was used, place over a low flame shaking constantly for 10 – 15 seconds to loosen.
Remove the final product to a cutting board.
Using a sharp knife dipped in hot water, cut the bars into the desired size.
After each cut, rinse knife with warm water and dry to maintain clean slices.
Dust with powdered sugar.
11. Serve.
