Megans Hush Hush Lemon Bars Recipes

GRAHAM MOIST LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine graham cracker crumbs, softened butter or margarine, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press mixture onto bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
• Beat eggs, sugar, flour, and lemon juice. (If mixture is too thick, water may be added to thin it.) Pour the mixture over the hot graham cracker crust. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Dust the top with confectioners' sugar. After cooling, cut into squares.

CHEF JOHN'S LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack into middle position in oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• Place 1 cup flour and butter in a mixing bowl and mash with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Mix in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; mash mixture together until mixture looks like a slightly crumbly cookie dough.
• Moisten your fingers with a little water and press dough into bottom of prepared baking dish. Use a fork to prick holes all over the crust.
• Bake crust on center rack in the preheated oven until crust edges are barely golden brown, 22 minutes.
• Beat eggs and egg yolks together in a bowl; whisk in white sugar and 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Add lemon juice and lemon zest; whisk for 2 minutes. Pour lemon custard over crust.
• Bake on center rack until custard is set and top has a thin white sugary crust, 25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Dip knife into very hot water, run around the edge, and cut into 16 squares. Dust cookies with 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar.

THE MOST-LEMONY LEMON BAR OF ALL TIME

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with foil leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Grease the foil and dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
• To make the crust, pulse the zest with 1/3 cup of the sugar in a food processor until the sugar is yellow and sandy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the butter, cornstarch and salt and pulse until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden at the edges and pale golden in the center, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. To make the filling, whisk the eggs and egg yolks with the remaining 1 2/3 cups sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup flour in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in 1 cup lemon juice.
• Pour the filling over the warm crust and return to the oven. Bake until the filling is just set, about 30 minutes.
• Cool the lemon bars on a wire rack, 30 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered until firm, at least 1 hour. Lift the bars out of the pan using the foil. Peel off the foil and cut into 24 bars. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Place a piece of gummy lemon candy on top of each square and serve.

FARMHOUSE LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with butter.
• For the crust: Combine the flour, butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine. Pat the crust into the prepared baking dish, leaving a small lip around the edge to hold the filling. Place in the oven and bake until slightly golden, 10 minutes.
• For the filling: In a small bowl, combine the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, sugar and salt; whisk together, then pour over the crust. Bake until the filling is firm and the crust is golden brown, 20 minutes.
• Let cool for 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator until the filling is firm and has set, 1 hour.
• Remove the lemon bars from baking dish and dust with confectioner's sugar. Cut into 16 squares. Arrange on a platter and serve.

AUDREY'S LEMON MERINGUE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13x9-in. baking pan with parchment, letting ends extend up sides., In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until light golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack., For filling, in another large bowl, mix sugar, lemon juice, eggs, flour and zest until combined. Pour over crust. Bake until set and top is dry, 22-27 minutes., Meanwhile, for meringue, in a large bowl, beat egg whites with lemon zest and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Spread or pipe over hot filling., Bake until meringue is golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Lifting with parchment, remove from pan. Cut into bars.

MEGAN'S (HUSH HUSH) LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Adjust rack to middle.
• For the first layer- mix butter, flour and powder sugar in mixing bowl, then pack in bottom on an 8 X 8 pan. Bake the crust for 15 minute.
• Meanwhile- mix beaten eggs, lemon juice and rind.
• In a seperate bowl, sift together sugar, flour, and baking powder.
• Add the flour mixture slowly to the wet ingredients, mixing thoroughly but not overmixing.
• Place lemon mixture onto baked crust and bake again at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
• For the frosting, mix all ingredients in a bowl and with a hand mixer, whip until smooth and creamy. This frosting is intended to be very thick. When i stick a spoon into the frosting and lift it up- it should be creamy, but not drip off at all -- So you may need to thicken by adding more powdered sugar.
• Remove bars from oven and cool pan on wire rack, when cool- GENTLY frost with the icing. The icing should be a little warm- if you make it right before- it's going to be the perfect temp from all that whipping.
• Refrigerate until served. Keep in fridge too- They taste amazing chilled- In fact, I have never NOT chilled them! (frosting does harden. Cut when removed from fridge.