This recipe was shared by a customer and is really amazing. The heart-healthy olive oil and sea salt add a nice dimension to the lemon bars.
For the Crust:
- 1 ¼ cups organic non-bleached flour
- ¼ cup organic granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons confectioner sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 10 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
For the Curd:
- 4 to 6 fresh, medium-sized lemons
- 1 ½ cups/300 grams sugar
- 2 large eggs plus 3 yolks
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 4 tablespoons/57 grams butter
- ¼ cup Fresh Harvest fruity and mild extra-virgin olive oil
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Directions:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. 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).
For shortbread base, pulse together 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, 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 the mixture comes to a boil or the cornstarch won’t activate. 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.
