LUSCIOUS LEMON BARS

I must admit that I have a sweet tooth when it comes to all those yummy backed goods from the US. The reason for my penchant for all those specialities is due to the uniqueness of their recipes and for their utter decadentness!

To fulfill my cravings, I have bought a book that has become my cookie/pastry bible and which is being seriously used on a regular basis. I'm talking about Tish Boyle's masterpiece titled "The Good Cookie" which contains many (more than 250) incredible and full-proof recipes for all those who suffer from a baking addiction!!! A real source of inspiration...

For a citrus fruit amateur like me, those "Luscious Lemon Bars" are some of the best lemon desserts/treats I've eaten so far. They are ever so freakishly mouth-puckering, tart, moist and creamy. The topping is scrumptuously sour, yet very sweet, deliciously lemony and the shortbread base is wonderfully tender, buttery and gingery as well as caramelly flavored (thanks to the brown sugar): perfectly well-balanced. This treat is unforgettable, incredibly succulent and moreish to please. Once you take a bite from this delicacy, you won't be able to stop running after the box in order to get another fix...

Tish Boyle's bars are like a drug. Very tempting and totally addictive!

~ Luscious Lemon Bars ~
Recipe by Tish Boyle ("The Good Cookie") and slightly adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Ingredients for the brown sugar ginger crust:
1 1/4 Cup (160g) Plain white flour
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup (125g) Unsalted butter
1/2 Cup (120g) Firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 Tsp Ground ginger
1/8 Tsp Ground cinnamon
Ingredients for the lemon topping:
1/2 Cup (64g) Plain white flour
1/6 Tsp Salt
5 Eggs (~53g)
2 3/4 Cups (578g) Castor sugar
1 Cup Freshly squeezed lemon juice (~4 large lemons)
2 Tsps Finely grated lemon zest
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Method for the crust:
1. Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 180° C (350° F).
2. Grease the bottom and sides of a 22 x 33 centimeter (9 by 13-inch) baking pan.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour ground ginger, ground coriander and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar at medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.
5. At low speed, add the flour mixture and mix just until crumbly.
6. Pat the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
7. Prick the dough well with a fork.
8. Bake the crust for 16 to 20 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.
9. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool (completely) while you prepare the topping.
Method for the lemon topping:
10. In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt. Set aside.
11. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until smooth.
12. Add the lemon juice an zest. Whisk until blended.
13. Whisk in the flour mixture until combined.
14. Pour the topping over the crust.
15. Bake the bars for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set and lightly browned in spots.
16. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
17. Cut the bars into 18 rectangles.

Remarks:
Instead of adding 1 teaspoon ground ginger to the crust, you can replace it by 2 teaspoons chopped crystallized ginger that will be added with the flour mixture in step 5.
The spices for the crust can be left out if you want a neutral-tasting dough.
Use only biological lemons for the topping.
Dont overbake the bars otherwise the topping will not be creamy anymore.
Those bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Serving suggestions:
Just before serving, dust the tops of the bars with confectioner's sugar and add a dollop of vanilla whipped cream.
Eat at any time of the day if you still have some left after the first round!...