Lemon Pecan Bars Food

LEMON BARS WITH PECAN SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• Spray an 8x8 inch glass baking pan with baking spray.
• Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir the sugar, salt, lemon zest, and the vanilla together. Add the flour, (cooled) melted butter, and pecans until a crumbly dough forms.
• Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Prick the dough with a fork all over to prevent air bubbles while baking. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes in the pan before baking. Bake the crust at 325 degrees until lightly golden brown, about 25 minutes.
• While the crust is baking, stir the sugar, flour, salt and lemon zest together. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time until smooth. Whisk in the lemon juice and refrigerate until the crust is out of the oven,
• While the crust is still hot pour the lemon topping over the top and spread evenly. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees, return the pan to the oven and bale until the topping is set in the center. It should not jiggle when the pan is moved. This should take 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack and cool until the bars are cooled completely. Refrigerate until chilled and firm enough to cut into squares or triangles. Dust the tops with powdered sugar just before serving.

LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
• Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
• For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
• Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

PECAN SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 1-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.
• For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.

MARTHA'S PECAN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with melted butter. Line with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on all sides. Butter parchment; set aside.
• Make crust: Place butter and brown sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in salt. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition. Continue mixing until dough begins to come together in large clumps.
• Press dough about 1/4-inch thick into prepared pan. Pierce the dough with a fork. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
• Make filling: Place ingredients in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; pour filling into the cooled crust.
• Bake until filling bubbles, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a paring knife around edges of the pan and invert onto cooling rack. Invert again onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1-by-3-inch bars. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

THE BEST LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
• Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. For a festive tray, make another pan using limes instead of lemons and adding a drop of green food coloring to give a very pale green. After both pans have cooled, cut into uniform 2 inch squares and arrange in a checker board fashion.

LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a bowl whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until combined well and stir in lemon juice and flour. Pour lemon mixture over hot shortbread. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. and bake confection in middle of oven until set, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan and cut into 24 bars. Bar cookies keep, covered and chilled, 3 days. Sift confectioners' sugar over bars before serving.

CHEF JOHN'S LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack into middle position in oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• Place 1 cup flour and butter in a mixing bowl and mash with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Mix in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; mash mixture together until mixture looks like a slightly crumbly cookie dough.
• Moisten your fingers with a little water and press dough into bottom of prepared baking dish. Use a fork to prick holes all over the crust.
• Bake crust on center rack in the preheated oven until crust edges are barely golden brown, 22 minutes.
• Beat eggs and egg yolks together in a bowl; whisk in white sugar and 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Add lemon juice and lemon zest; whisk for 2 minutes. Pour lemon custard over crust.
• Bake on center rack until custard is set and top has a thin white sugary crust, 25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Dip knife into very hot water, run around the edge, and cut into 16 squares. Dust cookies with 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar.

LEMON PECAN BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• In large bowl, with electric mixer on medium, beat butter, flour, sugar and 2 tsp lemon zest until mixture forms large crumbs.
• Pat crumb mixture into 13x9-inch baking pan.
• Bake 15 minutes, take out of the oven and lower the heat to 325°F.
• Combine condensed milk, coconut, pecans, remaining 2 teaspoons lemon zest and the lemon juice.
• Spread this mixture on top of the hot baked crust, then return to the oven.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Transfer pan to wire rack and cool completely.
• Cut into 36 bars.

MACADAMIA LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix flour, confectioners' sugar and melted butter until crumbly; stir in nuts. Press onto bottom and 1/2 in. up sides of a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake 15-20 minutes or until light brown., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Beat in eggs, lemon juice and zest until blended., Pour over hot crust. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate leftovers.

LEMONY COCONUT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes; gradually beat in flour, mixing well., Press onto bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until edges are golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., For filling, in a large bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, lemon zest and extracts until blended. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; stir into egg mixture. Stir in coconut and pecans. Spread over crust., Bake until golden brown, 17-20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over warm filling. Cool completely. Cut into bars.