Lemon Shortbread Bars
Buttery shortbread topped with a tangy, smooth lemon filling and a light dusting of icing sugar. Chill thoroughly for neat slices. Batch yield: 24 bars, cut in a 4 × 6 grid from one 23 × 33 cm tin. One serving: 1 bar, approximately 63 g after baking and chilling, including the icing-sugar dusting. Allow approximately 4 hours 45 minutes from starting to serving: 240 minutes of non-oven elapsed time plus 45 minutes of sequential oven time, comprising 20 minutes for the base and 25 minutes for the filled bars. Non-oven time includes 20 minutes of initial preparation, 2 minutes to add the filling, 90 minutes of complete cooling, 120 minutes of chilling and 8 minutes to cut and dust. Active work totals about 40 minutes, including roughly 10 minutes making the filling during the base bake; that overlapping work is not added again. Preheating and the brief melted-butter cooling happen during initial preparation. Allow additional time if the bars need longer to bake or cool. Appliances: Oven; Microwave; Refrigerator; Freezer (optional, for storage). Equipment: 23 × 33 × 5 cm light-coloured metal baking tin; Baking parchment; Kitchen scales; Measuring jug; Fine grater; Citrus juicer; Microwave-safe mixing bowl; Large mixing bowl; Whisk; Spatula; Cooling rack; Chopping board; Sharp knife; Fine sieve. Allergens: Butter contains milk, plain flour contains wheat and gluten, and the filling contains eggs. Check packaged ingredient labels for any additional product-specific allergens. Storage: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Limit room-temperature exposure to 2 hours total, including the initial cooling period; after the planned 90-minute cooling, refrigerate promptly and keep subsequent serving periods brief. Freeze individual bars in a sealed container, separated with baking parchment, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The icing-sugar dusting may dissolve during storage or thawing.
240 min
Prep
45 min
Cook
24
Serves
222
Calories
Macros · per serving
3g protein
32g carbs
9g fat
Ingredients
For 24 servings
- 226 g Unsalted butter
- 100 g Granulated sugar for the shortbread
- 10 ml Vanilla extract
- 3 g Fine salt
- 265 g Plain flour for the shortbread
- 400 g Granulated sugar for the lemon filling
- 46 g Plain flour for the lemon filling
- 6 whole eggs Large eggs
- 240 ml Fresh lemon juice
- 4 g Finely grated lemon zest
- 15 g Icing sugar
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 175°C/350°F conventional or 155°C/310°F fan, with a shelf in the centre. Line the base and sides of a light-coloured 23 × 33 × 5 cm (9 × 13 × 2 inch) metal baking tin with baking parchment, leaving enough overhang to lift out the chilled slab. No greasing is needed. Prepare the measured lemon zest and juice, zesting before squeezing if using whole lemons.
- 2
Put the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until just melted. Leave for about 3 minutes until warm rather than hot; no advance softening is needed. Stir in the 100 g shortbread sugar, vanilla and salt, then fold in the 265 g flour until a soft, evenly combined dough forms. Press firmly into an even layer across the tin using a spatula. Allow about 20 minutes for all preparation up to this point, including preheating.
- 3
Bake the shortbread for about 20 minutes, until the surface looks dry and the edges are lightly golden. Keep the oven on.
- 4
While the base bakes, make the filling. Whisk the 400 g filling sugar and 46 g flour together in a large bowl to break up any flour lumps. Gently whisk in the eggs one at a time, followed by the lemon juice and zest, until smooth. Avoid whipping in lots of air.
- 5
Take the tin from the oven. Stir the filling briefly, then pour it over the hot shortbread. Return the tin to the oven promptly; allow about 2 minutes for this transfer.
- 6
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges and the centre moves with a small, unified wobble when the tin is nudged, rather than rippling like liquid. If the centre still sloshes, bake a little longer and check again. The surface should remain mostly pale yellow.
- 7
Place the tin on a cooling rack and cool completely at room temperature, allowing about 90 minutes. Once the tin and bars are no longer warm, cover without touching the surface and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until thoroughly cold and firm.
- 8
Lift the cold slab onto a chopping board using the parchment. Cut into a 4 × 6 grid to make 24 bars, wiping the knife between cuts. Sift the 15 g icing sugar lightly over all the bars. Allow about 8 minutes for lifting, cutting and dusting; keep chilled until serving.
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