Adapted from Food 52 where this recipe had a saltier olive oil crust, this bar has the perfect ratio of sweet, tart thick lemon curd and shortbread crust made without butter.
Ingredients:
Crust:
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp. kosher salt
¾ cup coconut oil, melted
Lemon Curd:
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
7 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
3 lemons, zested
½ tsp. kosher salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325F and line 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, sugar and salt.
Process until well combined. Add the oil and pulse until a lumpy dough forms.
Transfer the dough to the lined pan and use your hands to pat it flat. Use a fork to prick the dough throughout.
Bake for 35-38 minutes until puffed and softly golden-brown.
While the crust is baking, prepare the curd by combining all of the ingredients in the cleaned food processor bowl and process until smooth.
Lower the heat to 300F.
Carefully pour the lemon mixture onto the hot crust and bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges of the lemon bar are slightly puffed and the center barely jiggles.
Transfer to the refrigerator after the bars cool to room temperature which makes them easier to slice.
The Science of Baking 