Lemon Bars

A crisp, buttery shortbread base under a bright, tangy lemon layer. Chew Richberry first and the sharp lemon tastes sweet and sunny.

Total time: 1 hr 55 min
Servings: 18
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Crust

2 ¼ cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
⅔ cup (152 g) granulated sugar

Lemon filling

4 large eggs
1 egg yolk
⅓ cup (43 g) all-purpose flour
⅔ cup lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (219 g) sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides so you can lift the bars out later.
Make the crust.
Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cube the cold butter, toss it in the flour and pinch it between your fingers until coated and flattened into pea- to almond-sized pieces (or pulse 6 or 7 times in a food processor).
Bake the crust.
Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until it looks dry and is lightly golden at the edges.
Make the filling.
With about 10 minutes left on the crust, whisk the eggs and yolk, then whisk in the flour until there are no lumps. Whisk in the lemon juice and vanilla.
Bake the bars.
Pour the filling over the hot crust and bake 12 minutes in a glass pan or 10 minutes in a metal one, until it no longer jiggles and is dotted with small bubbles. Start checking early; overbaking makes the filling spongy.
Cool and cut.
Cool uncovered for 1 hour, on the counter or in the fridge. Lift out with the parchment and cut into squares.

Before you indulge

Use Miracle Berry

Just before eating, take 2–3 freeze-dried halves. Chew gently and let them linger for about 30 seconds.

Discard any pit if necessary.

Calorie savings

⅔ cup (152 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (219 g) sugar = 1290 calories

Good to know

Miraculin, the natural protein in miracle berry, can make sour foods like lemon taste sweet without adding sugar. For the best results, take 1–2 halves and follow the directions on your pack.

Tangy turns sweet. More possibilities.