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One Badass Cookie - Lemon Bars
- by Nancy, November 23, 2008
My sister, Janet, in her California yard with the badass lemon bars she baked for us. Thanks J.B.!
Photo credit: My brother-in-law, Ron, one more badass photographer.
We’re back again with this week’s badass cookie, Lemon Bars, baked and photographed for us by my sister, Janet and her husband, Ron. I adapted these bars from a recipe by Emily Luchetti who is one of my favorite pastry chefs and the author of several fabulous baking books. I met Emily at a couple of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs Conventions back in my pastry chef days, and she is as wonderful as her fabulous recipes. Anyway, J.B. (that’s our family nickname for Janet) says that the lemon bars smelled and looked so yummy, she had to take a bite of them right out of the oven even though my recipe says to refrigerate the bars until they are fully set before slicing them. Too delicious to wait for! That’s one badass cookie. These are a favorite Thanksgiving treat in my family. Read on for the recipe, another of Janet and Ron’s photos, and the badass cookie tip of the week. Does it work? You bet your badass it does.
Badass Cookie Tip of the Week: Slice soft cookies like lemon bars with a knife dipped in hot water to avoid tearing or breaking the cookie bars. Wipe off the blade between cuts and dip in hot water again to make the next cut.
Badass Lemon Cookie Bars
Makes 1 9-inch square pan, or for cookies that are thinner and have less crust, 1 9-x-13 inch pan.
Crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted to remove lumps if necessary
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) cold sweet unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
Filling:
6 large eggs
3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
zest of one lemon
1/2 cup flour
Powdered sugar for dusting
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine flour and powdered sugar either by hand or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle on low speed. Add butter and mix until it is the size of small pearls. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust until golden, about 20 minutes turning the pan halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning.
2. Decrease oven temperature to 300 degrees. Whisk together eggs and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the juices and then the flour, whisking to combine well. Pour this juice mixture into the pan on top of the crust.
3. Bake the bars until the filling is set (it should not jiggle at all or the bars will not firm up completely) about 40 minutes, checking after about 1/2 hour or so as oven temperatures vary. Allow the bars to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until firm and cold. Slice with a hot knife. Store in the refrigerator, covered.
Do you have a badass cookie recipes for Nancy and Laura? Use the comments link at top to send it to us to test, and if it ‘s badass enough, we’ll post it as a reader’s recipe and you’ll win a prize of Nancy’s book.
see also: One Badass Cookie - Ginger Molasses Cookie
To find out about Laura's search for a long lost family recipe, click [