Ultimate Lemon Butter Bars from Rose Levy Beranbaum Recipe Reviews

I told you the other day that I have been completely craving lemon, and that I had a lemon tart in my sights. But first I went back to the basics: Lemon bars. And not just any lemon bars. Rose Levy Beranbaum's Ultimate Lemon Butter Bars.

Beranbaum says that she developed this recipe to address two problems that lemon bars are prone to: A topping that is not firm enough, and a base that is too soggy.

These bars address those two issues by first of all making a true Scotch shortbread, with tons of butter. You pat it into the pan, prick it all over, and bake it sans lemon topping. This helps the base to firm up and get that flaky, crumbly texture essential in good shortbread.

Then, for the topping, instead of just mixing lemon and eggs together and pouring the mix over the base, you take the time to create a true lemon curd. You whisk and stir the eggs, butter, and lemon juice until it cooks (but not curdles!) and firms up into a thick, creamy lemon curd.

After that you spread the curd on the shortbread base and bake it for just a few minutes to let it set, but the two components of the bars are mainly cooked separately. This definitely takes some extra work, and some fiddling with candy thermometers and such, but boy. The end results are so worth it. These bars are extra-flaky on the bottom, with a firm, buttery bite, and the top is thick and creamy and bursting with lemon flavor. They are incredibly tangy and delicious — like a bite of sunshine.

I can definitely recommend this recipe wholeheartedly; even though there are easier recipes for lemon bars, this is the one I return to over and over. It gets an extra thumbs-up for Beranbaum's detailed and reliable instructions, too; she is such a wonderful writer and recipe developer, and her recipes always go the extra mile in providing tips and instructions.

• Get the recipe: The Ultimate Lemon Butter Bar at Epicurious

(Images: Faith Durand)

Comments (14)

I haven't tried Rose's recipe, but once I tried Alice Waters' lemon curd recipe, I knew that I was never, ever going to go back to making lemon bars by simply mixing up the eggs and lemon and a totally overpowering quantity of sugar.

Perfect! I was walking home today with lemon bars on my brain. Looks like it was meant to be!

I am salivating as I read this. Definitely on the week-end agenda. Yum.

your picture of the lemon bars is exquisite!

I like lemon butter bars!

And I have tomorrow off from work!

I sense a plan.

I will HAVE to try these because I love lemon bars and I have yet to make a recipe that is any good at all. If this isn't it, I will just give up.

I'm so making these THIS WEEKEND! : ) I can't wait. Thanks so much, Faith!

I think I crave lemon almost as much as I do chocolate. I have my own version of lemon bars which I have compiled from several recipes, now I am going to have to make mine and these scrumptious sounding bars side by side for a taste test.Looks like a lemon party soon. And I know just the song I will play as everyone is coming in, "Lemon tree, very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet...." will be wafting in everyone's ears.

I love lemon bars and highly recommend making these with Meyer lemons - yumm!

Funny I just made some lemon bars last night. I use Ina Garten's recipe, which also calls for the shortbread crust to be baked separately. However, the filling isn't cooked before I pour over the baked crust. She also adds flour to the filling.
This was the third time I made this recipe and I'm pretty please with it.
I'll definitely try this version soon!

This recipe is awesome - the lemon bars are AMAZING and I am a baking novice.

I want

the plate.

Where is it from and please don't say Anthropologie a couple years ago.

Now I believe in heaven....

I love lemon bars and these were even better than I expected. Also, I like the tips on the bottom of the recipe. I microwaved the lemons and it worked perfectly.

@st@cy, seriously, regrettably, yes, Anthropologie a couple years ago.