LEMON BARS WITH OLIVE OIL AND SEA SALT

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Lemon Bars With Olive Oil and Sea Salt image

Traditional lemon bars balance the tangy sweetness of lemon curd with a rich shortbread crust. This recipe adds extra notes of flavor to the mix: the compelling bitterness of good olive oil and a touch of sea salt sprinkled on top. They lend a mild savory character to this childhood favorite, making it a little more sophisticated than the usual lemon bar, but just as compelling. Choose an olive oil with personality, otherwise you'll miss the point. Something herbal and fresh tasting with peppery notes works best. Although the bars will last up to five days when stored in the fridge, they have the brightest flavor when eaten within 24 hours of baking.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     snack, cookies and bars, dessert

Time 1h30m

Yield 24 bars

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 1/4 cups/155 grams all-purpose flour
1/4 cup/50 grams granulated sugar
3 tablespoons/25 grams confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
10 tablespoons/142 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 to 6 lemons
1 1/2 cups/300 grams sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons/5 grams cornstarch
Pinch of fine sea salt
4 tablespoons/57 grams butter
1/4 cup/60 milliliters fruity extra-virgin olive oil
Confectioners' sugar and flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 325 degrees and line a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with enough parchment to hang over two of the sides (to be used as handles later to lift the bars out of the pan).
  • To make the shortbread base, pulse together the flour, granulated sugar, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor, or whisk together in a large bowl. Add butter and pulse (or use two knives or your fingers) to cut the butter into the flour until a crumbly dough forms. Press dough into prepared pan and bake until shortbread is pale golden all over, 30 to 35 minutes.
  • While the shortbread is baking, prepare the lemon curd: Grate 1/2 tablespoon zest from lemons and set aside. Squeeze lemons to yield 3/4 cup juice.
  • In a small saucepan, whisk together lemon juice, sugar, eggs and yolks, cornstarch and fine sea salt over medium heat until boiling and thickened, 2 to 5 minutes. Make sure mixture comes to a boil and stays there for 30 seconds or so; you should see it thicken up before you take it off the heat. But once it boils do not cook for longer than 1 minute or you risk the curd thinning out again. Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Whisk in butter, olive oil and lemon zest.
  • When the shortbread is ready, take it out of the oven and carefully pour the lemon curd onto the shortbread base; return the pan to the oven. Bake until topping is just set, 10 to 15 minutes more. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold before cutting into bars. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and flaky sea salt right before serving.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 176, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 23 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 1 gram, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 44 milligrams, Sugar 16 grams, TransFat 0 grams

Jessica Donath
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I love lemon bars and these are some of the best I've ever had. The olive oil and sea salt give them a really nice flavor. I will definitely be making these again.


Manoo Urwa
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These lemon bars are the perfect balance of tart and sweet. The crust is crispy and the filling is gooey and delicious. The olive oil and sea salt add a perfect touch of savory flavor. I highly recommend this recipe!


Korina Padilla
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I was hesitant to try this recipe because I'm not a huge fan of lemon bars. But I'm so glad I did! These bars are amazing. The olive oil and sea salt add a really nice touch of flavor. I'll definitely be making these again.


erik ok_
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These lemon bars are delicious! The crust is flaky and the filling is tart and gooey. The olive oil and sea salt add a unique and flavorful twist. I highly recommend this recipe.


Janat
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I love the combination of lemon and olive oil in these bars. The sea salt adds a nice touch of flavor, too. I'll definitely be making these again.


Ramesh Bhandari
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These lemon bars are the perfect summer dessert. They're light and refreshing, with a bright lemon flavor. The olive oil and sea salt add a nice touch of savory flavor. I highly recommend this recipe!


ELIJAH NJAGE
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I was looking for a new lemon bar recipe and this one caught my eye. I'm so glad I tried it! The olive oil and sea salt give these bars a really unique and delicious flavor. I'll definitely be making these again.


Sasuke Uzumaki5124
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These lemon bars are so easy to make and they're always a hit. I love that I can use olive oil instead of butter. The sea salt adds a nice touch of flavor, too.


Laroshelle Daniell
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I'm not usually a fan of lemon bars, but these were really good. The olive oil and sea salt added a nice touch of flavor. I'll definitely be making these again.


Dr.Shahzaib Ali
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These lemon bars are amazing! The crust is flaky and buttery, the filling is tart and gooey, and the olive oil and sea salt add a perfect touch of savory flavor. I highly recommend this recipe.


olipa mulenga
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I love lemon bars and these are some of the best I've ever had. The olive oil and sea salt give them a really nice flavor. I will definitely be making these again.


Maria Medrano
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These lemon bars are the perfect balance of tart and sweet. The crust is crispy and the filling is gooey and delicious. The olive oil and sea salt add a unique and flavorful twist. I highly recommend this recipe!


Kareem Aljasem
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I've made these lemon bars several times now and they're always a hit. They're so easy to make and they taste amazing. The olive oil and sea salt are a really nice touch. I love that these bars are not too sweet, either.


Arianna Morado
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These lemon bars are divine! The crust is flaky and buttery, the filling is tart and gooey, and the olive oil and sea salt add a touch of savory goodness. I highly recommend this recipe.


Chigozie Joe
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I'm not a huge fan of lemon bars, but I thought I'd give this recipe a try. I'm so glad I did! The olive oil and sea salt add a really nice flavor and the bars are perfectly tart and sweet. I'll definitely be making these again.


Waad 2011
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I followed the recipe exactly and my lemon bars turned out perfectly. The crust was crispy and the filling was gooey and tart. I loved the addition of olive oil and sea salt, it really took these bars to the next level.


EZZAT taha
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These lemon bars are so easy to make and they taste amazing! The olive oil and sea salt give them a really nice flavor. I love that they're not too sweet, either.


Karl Gunnery
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I was skeptical about the olive oil and sea salt in this recipe, but I was pleasantly surprised. The flavors worked really well together and the bars were delicious. I will definitely be making these again.


David Pate
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These lemon bars were a delightful surprise! The olive oil and sea salt added a unique and savory twist to the classic recipe. The bars were perfectly tart and sweet, with a crispy crust and a gooey filling. I highly recommend trying this recipe if y