Description
Delight in these tangy and buttery Lemon Curd Bars, featuring a crisp, crumbly shortbread base topped with smooth, vibrant lemon curd and a golden crumble topping. Perfectly balanced between sweet and tart, these bars are an irresistible treat for any occasion and easy to prepare with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Base and Topping
- 295 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (2 ¼ cups / 10.4 oz)
- ⅔ cup white sugar (134 g / ~4 ¾ oz)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 200 g unsalted butter (cold, divided as 30g and 170g / 7 oz total)
Filling
- 1 cup lemon curd (260 g / ~9 ¼ oz / 250 ml)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced) / 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking tin with baking paper for easy removal.
- Melt a portion of butter: Gently melt 30g (about 1 oz or 2 tablespoons) of butter until just melted and allow it to cool slightly.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt until evenly mixed.
- Incorporate cold butter: Use the large side of a box grater to grate the remaining cold butter into the flour mixture. Work it in lightly with your fingertips or a pastry blender until small pieces remain, resembling breadcrumbs.
- Add melted butter: Stir in the melted butter using a fork and your hands, mixing until the mixture is crumbly but you can squeeze it into a clump.
- Prepare the base: Reserve about one-third of this dough mixture for the topping. Press the remaining two-thirds firmly into the base of the prepared baking pan to form the crust.
- Bake the base: Bake the crust for 20 minutes until lightly set.
- Cool and add filling: Allow the base to cool for 10 minutes, then spread an even layer of lemon curd over it.
- Add crumble topping: Crumble the reserved dough evenly over the lemon curd layer.
- Bake the assembled bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the crumble topping is just beginning to turn golden brown.
- Cool the bars: Let the bars cool in the tin for at least 30 minutes. You may then leave them in the tin to cool completely or transfer them onto a wire rack by lifting out with the baking paper.
- Enjoy and share: Once cooled, cut into 16 squares and enjoy. Don’t forget to leave a comment and rating to share your experience!
Notes
- Use cold butter for the crumble to achieve a tender, crumbly texture.
- Line the pan with baking paper with some overhang to easily lift the bars out after baking.
- Feel free to use homemade or store-bought lemon curd for convenience.
- Bars are best served chilled or at room temperature and can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- For a more intense lemon flavor, zest one lemon and add it to the dry ingredients.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
