Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Easy Lemon Bars Recipe
With a shortbread base and lemon curd topping that’s tart and not-too-sweet, these Lemon Bars are very easy to make. Tastes like a Lemon Tart – however a lot extra simple!
These Lemon Bars are like a less complicated type of Lemon Tart which is made with a shortcrust pastry that’s chilled, rolled out, blind baked then cooled earlier than crammed with lemon curd, then baked once more, then cooled.
Stunning. Elegant. Spectacular.
However for the times if you don’t have time for all that, Lemon Bars is what you make! It’s extremely easy: the bottom is blitzed in a meals processor, pressed in a pan, baked, then simply pour over a easy lemon curd combination and bake once more.
LOVE the lemon curd! Jammy, a bit custardy, tangy and not-too-sweet. Hits the spot!
Right here’s what you should make these Lemon Bars.
For the shortbread base
The identical components I exploit in my shortbread – as a result of that’s precisely what we’re making!
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Flour – Simply common plain / all-purpose flour.
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Rice flour – Makes the shortbread extra crumbly. I don’t use it in my basic shortbread cookie recipe as a result of it doesn’t enhance the tip consequence (as a result of explicit methodology I exploit). However for the fast ‘n straightforward meals processor blitzing methodology used on this recipe, it helps maintain the shortbread base “brief” (ie crumbly), the signature texture everyone knows and love about shortbread.
Substitute with cornflour / cornstarch which yields a really comparable consequence, and even extraordinary flour will work nice (the bottom won’t be fairly as crumbly like shortbread, it’s extra like a vanilla cookie).
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Butter – Chilly, unsalted, reduce into cubes to blitz into sand with the flour.
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Icing sugar / powdered sugar – The nice grains are required to make tender, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread. Common sugar makes more durable shortbread – that’s not what we would like! 🙂
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Pinch of salt brings out the opposite flavours. Customary follow in candy baking – doesn’t make it style salty.
Lemon curd filling
In my “correct” Lemon Tart, I ask you to separate eggs and use additional egg yolks for the lemon curd. Not right now! Sticking with complete eggs.
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Eggs – 3 massive ones, that are 55 – 60g / 2 oz every, offered in cartons labelled “massive eggs”. No have to carry them to room temperature (which I often name for in baking recipes!). The eggs set the lemon curd when baked.
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Caster sugar / tremendous nice sugar in case you’ve obtained it, as a result of the finer grains ensures it dissolves into the curd extra simply. Nonetheless, common sugar (granulated sugar) is okay too.
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Flour – Only a bit helps to make sure the curd units correctly. We don’t use flour within the Lemon Tart filling as a result of it’s made “correctly”. However right now, we’re going straightforward!
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Contemporary lemon! We’re utilizing the zest and juice right now. Zest for lovely lemon flavour, and the juice for tang!
Promised straightforward, and simple it’s! Right here’s how one can make this lemon bars:
SHORTBREAD LEMON BAR BASE
In my pre-appliance days (learn: after I was a poor uni scholar), I used to make shortbread utilizing my fingers to rub the butter into the dry components. Today, I’m lazy and use my meals processor. Few pulses, and it’s achieved. Bonus: no worries about sizzling little fingers melting the butter!
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Blitz – Put the shortbread components in a meals processor with the usual “S” blade. Blitz 5 to 10 instances till it turns right into a free sandy combination.
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Press – Pour it right into a paper lined 20cm/8″ pan with overhang so you’ll be able to raise the Lemon Bars out as soon as set. Unfold the bottom combination out then use one thing with a flat base to press it in firmly. I exploit a measuring cup.
⚠️ Remember to press it firmly proper into the corners and proper as much as the wall of the pan so the lemon curd gained’t leak down the edges and make the bottom soggy.
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Bake for 20 minutes or till the sides are gentle golden.
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Take away from oven and fill with curd immediately. ⚠️ Don’t let it cool as the bottom will shrink, inflicting the curd to run underneath the bottom which can make it soggy. Been there, achieved that!
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Lemon curd – Whereas the bottom is within the oven, whisk the lemon curd components collectively.
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Pour the filling onto the bottom.
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Bake for 20 minutes till the highest is about however nonetheless mushy. There is likely to be a small crack or two on the floor, that’s fully regular and will get coated up with a dusting of icing sugar!
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Cool – Totally cool on the counter then refrigerate for not less than 2 hours earlier than slicing to serve!
Non-compulsory – To make it fairly, mud with icing sugar. It’ll sweat, so do that simply earlier than serving.
I really like these lemon bars not solely as a result of they’re really easy to make, but in addition as a result of I’m an enormous fan of baked items you’ll be able to eat on the transfer with one hand. Don’t get me flawed. I gained’t flip down an enormous fats slice of cake, nor can I stroll away from a freshly cooked apple crumble.
However they contain plates and cutlery. (And ice cream and cream).
Whereas lemon bars and the like? I gained’t even break stride as I swipe one after I stroll previous, then devour on the go.
Harmful. Helpful. And scrumptious.
Which additionally means it makes glorious meals for taking to highschool bake gross sales, gatherings and morning tea at work. Simply – straightforward to eat. Excessive enchantment issue!
– Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 1/4 cup rice flour (or cornstarch/cornflour) (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 110g / 1 stick unsalted butter , cold, cut into 1cm / 1/2" cubes
- 3 large eggs (55-60g/2oz each)
- 1 cup caster sugar / super-fine sugar (sub regular sugar)
- 2 tbsp plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (do this before juicing)
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (2 – 3 lemons)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (160C fan). Spray a 20cm/8" square tin with oil and line with baking/parchment paper with overhang (so it can be lifted out once cooked).
- Base – Place Shortbread Base ingredients in a food processor fitted with the standard "S" blade. Pulse 5 to 10 times until it becomes like sand. (Or use tips of fingers, Note 2). Pour into the tin, spread, then press firmly into the base, pushing it right up to the edges. Using something flat to press in is helpful!
- Bake base for 20 minutes or until golden on the edges and pale golden in the middle. Remove from oven. (⚠️ Note: don't let it cool, pour in curd immediately).
- Lemon Curd – While the base is baking, place Lemon Topping ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.
- Bake 20 minutes – Pour Lemon Curd onto base, then bake for 20 minutes until the topping is set but still soft.
- Cool – Remove from then oven and cool on the counter for 1 hour, then fridge for at least 2 hours. Slice into 16 squares. Dust with icing sugar (confectionary sugar) and serve!
Notes
1. Rice flour – Gives the base the traditional crumbly shortbread texture. Cornflour / cornstarch is also used which gives it a slightly more “melt in your mouth” texture. Both are delicious!
2. Base making – If you don’t have a food processor, you can use your fingers to “rub” the butter into the dry ingredients and you’ll end up with the same crumbs that you see in the photos.
3. Storage – Once chilled and set, it can be kept at room temperature if it’s fairly cool in your pantry. Otherwise, keep it in your fridge but bring to room temp before serving! Lasts 5 days.
4. Nutrition per serving i.e. 1 slice of the 16 bars this recipe makes.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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