A tart and sweet Meyer lemon custard baked on top of a layer of buttery shortbread for the perfect, easy springtime treat!
Yield: one 8x8-inch pan (16-18 servings)
Cook Time: 40 minutesminutes
Total Time: 3 hourshours
Ingredients
For Shortbread Layer:
¼cup/ 30gpowdered sugar
½cup/ 113gunsalted butter, at room temperature
1cup/ 125gall-purpose flour
pinchkosher salt
For Lemon Layer:
2largeeggs, at room temperature
1largeegg yolk, at room temperature
1cup/ 200ggranulated sugar
⅓cup/ 80gfreshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
2teaspoonsfinely grated lemon zest
½teaspoonvanilla bean paste or extract
¼teaspoonbaking powder
2tablespoons/ 15gall-purpose flour
powdered sugar, sifted, for topping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan, then line with parchment paper (the butter will help the parchment stick to the pan and not move around).
In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Add flour and salt and mix until incorporated. Break into pieces and press evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 20 minutes or until top is matte and puffed and edges are just starting to brown. Remove from oven.
While shortbread is baking, wipe out mixing bowl. Combine eggs, egg yolk, and sugar and beat on medium speed until lightened in color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla, then sift flour and baking powder over top, mixing until just incorporated.
Pour lemon mixture over hot shortbread, then return to the oven and bake for an additional 18 to 20 minutes or until top is crackly and set. Remove from oven and set pan on a wire rack to cool completely. For easier slicing, refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Lift bars out of pan using parchment paper, then cut into 16 even squares, or, for triangle shaped bars, cut into 9 even squares then cut in half diagonally. Wipe knife between cuts. Dust liberally with powdered sugar just prior to serving.