Gingered Lemon Bars Food

THE BEST LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides; spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
• For the crust: Add the flour, cornstarch, confectioners' sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse 10 times until combined. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand, about 30 times. (The dough will not come together in one mass.) Sprinkle the mixture evenly in the prepared pan and lightly pat it down. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
• For the filling: Combine the eggs, yolks, sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Whisk continuously over medium heat, occasionally scraping down the sides and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, until simmering and thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon zest and butter until combined.
• Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Pour the filling over the crust and bake until just set, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
• Use the foil overhang to lift the bars from the pan. Remove the foil and slice into squares. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

GINGERED LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup of the flour with 1/4 cup of the sugar, the lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger and (pinch of) salt.
• Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles small peas.
• Knead the dough in the bowl just until it begins to come together.
• Transfer the dough to the baking pan and press it evenly over the bottom.
• (Flour your hands first to make it easier).
• Bake until very light golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Let cool on a rack while you make the filling.
• In a small bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, the remaining 2 tablespoons flour, the baking powder and a pinch of salt.
• In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer on high speed until tripled in volume, pale yellow and very light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes (the eggs should hold soft peaks very briefly).
• Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the sugar and flour mixture and beat just until blended, scraping the bowl as needed.
• Add the lemon juice and beat just until blended.
• Pour the lemon mixture over the warm crust.
• Bake until the filling is just set in the center, is golden brown on top and doesn't jiggle when the pan is nudged, 18-20 minutes.
• Let cool completely on a rack.
• Just before serving, stir the remaining 1 teaspoon confectioners sugar with a pinch of ginger in a small bowl.
• Transfer to a sieve and sift over the lemon filling.
• Cut into squares by slicing straight down with a metal spatula, rather than dragging.

LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a 21 or 22cm square, shallow baking tin with baking parchment. Put the flour, ground rice and sugar in a bowl with the butter and rub in until fine crumbs form. Stir in the milk with a cutlery knife. Tip into the tin and press down evenly. Bake for 15-20 mins until golden.
• Remove the tin and lower oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix the lemon juice and eggs, then sieve into a bowl with the sugar, flour and zest. Whisk to combine, pour over the base, then bake for 10-15 mins until the top is just set. Cool in the tin, dust with icing sugar, then slice.

GINGERED LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup (4-1/2 oz.) of the flour with 1/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar, the lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoons of the ginger, and a pinch of salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two table knives until the mixture resembles small peas. Knead the dough in the bowl just until it begins to come together. Transfer the dough to the baking pan and, with floured hands, press it evenly over the bottom. Bake until very light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool on a rack while you make the filling.
• In a small bowl, whisk 1-1/2 cups of the confectioners' sugar, the remaining 2 Tbs. (1/2 ounce) flour, the baking powder, and a pinch of salt. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer on high speed until tripled in volume, pale yellow, and very light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes (the eggs will hold soft peaks very briefly). Reduce the speed to low, add the sugar and flour mixture, and beat just until blended, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the lemon juice and beat just until blended. Pour the lemon mixture over the warm crust.
• Bake until the filling is just set in the center, is golden brown on top, and doesn't jiggle when the pan is nudged, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack. Just before serving, stir the remaining 1 teaspoons confectioner's sugar with a pinch of ginger in a small bowl. Transfer to a small sieve and sift over the lemon filling. Using a bench scraper or metal spatula, cut into 2-inch squares, slicing straight down (rather than dragging). Store in an airtight container.