Megans Hush Hush Lemon Bars Recipes

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.

VEGAN LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with two 8-by-16-inch pieces of aluminum foil so the foil extends over all 4 sides.
• For the base: Pulse the flour, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor to combine (about 4 long pulses). Scatter bits of the chilled coconut oil across the top and pulse about 10 times to distribute the oil; the mixture will be dry and sandy. Sprinkle the cashew milk over the top and pulse about 6 times to form a homogenous and sticky dough, like a soft sugar cookie dough.
• Spoon chunks of the dough evenly across the prepared pan, then press it firmly but gently into the bottom, sides and corners, wetting your hands slightly with cool water to keep the dough from sticking to them. Poke 12 or so holes across the dough with a fork.
• Bake until the edges of the dough are light golden brown and the top is dry, about 30 minutes. About halfway through, it may puff away from the pan in spots; poke those spots with a fork or carefully press back down with your hand. Continue to bake, checking once or twice more and repeating as needed. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and set aside.
• For the topping: Whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, flour, lemon zest and turmeric in a small saucepan. (The color won't turn bright yellow right away, so don't be tempted to add more turmeric.) Whisk in the cashew milk and lemon juice.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, about 5 to 6 minutes. Once it comes to a boil, continue to boil and whisk for 2 minutes more. The bubbles will get slower and pop bigger as the mixture thickens; you can reduce the heat to a strong simmer if you are concerned a bubble might burst and burn your hand.
• Remove from the heat, add the coconut oil and whisk until melted and thoroughly incorporated. Scrape the mixture over the baked base and spread to the sides of the pan in an even layer. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.
• When the bars are ready, lift the foil from the pan using the overhangs, then slide the base onto a cutting board. Let the bars come to room temperature, about 1 hour or more, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
• Slice into sixteen 2-inch squares or thirty-two 1-by-2-inch bars (they are very rich, so you may prefer the smaller size). Dust the tops with confectioners' sugar before serving (see Cook's Note). The bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.

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.