Lemon Crumb Bars

Lemon Bars with Crumb Topping

Crust and Topping:

• • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt

  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter,cut into pieces

Filling:

• • 3 eggs

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • zest of 2-3 large lemons

  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a square 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray.

In your food processor, combine the crust/topping ingredients until pea-sized pieces of butter remain. Reserve one cup of the crumbs for the topping, and press the remainder of the crumbs firmly against the bottom of the baking dish. (The crumb mixture will seem very dry, but it will bake into a shortbread cookie-like crust.) Bake crust for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice for the filling. Sift in the flour to avoid lumps and whisk to combine.

After the crust has baked for 15 minutes, remove from the oven. Whisk the filling again and pour over the hot crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the reserved one cup crumbs over the filling and bake for an additional 20 minutes until topping is a pale golden.

Let cool on the counter for at least two hours to set before slicing into squares. These can be served slightly warm or chilled.

Yields 16 two-inch squares.

Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen