WSJ Creamy Lemon Bars

 

These bars are so easy to make and great for potlucks! They were easier to make than these other lemon squares I made: Lemon Bars on Brown Butter Shortbread (bakingwjess.blogspot.com).

 Creamy Lemon Squares - WSJ Recipes (Adapted from Valley Lomas)

TOTAL TIME: 3 hours

MAKES: 16 squares

 Ingredients

For the crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Dash of salt

For the filling:

2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

1 cup fresh lemon juice

6 large egg yolks, at room temperature

 

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center position. Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with two perpendicular strips of parchment paper, leaving some overhang so baked lemon squares can be easily lifted from pan.

 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt. Stir in melted butter to combine. Use your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup to press crust into bottom of lined pan in an even layer. Bake until crust starts to dry out and brown at edges, about 15 minutes.

 

While the crust bakes, prepare the filling: Wipe out bowl used for crust. In it, combine condensed milk, lemon zest and juice, and egg yolks. Whisk until thoroughly combined and homogenous. Filling will resemble pudding.

 

Once crust is baked, remove from oven but leave oven on. Pour filling onto hot crust and smooth it in an even layer. Return pan to oven and bake until filling is set around edges but jiggles slightly in center when shaken, 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool 1 hour. Then, transfer pan to refrigerator to chill completely, at least 1 hour.

 

To serve, grip parchment paper at edges to lift lemon square out of pan. Use a sharp knife to cut 16 even squares. Sift confectioners’ sugar on top and serve chilled.