Lemon bars have been a favorite of mine since I was young. I like the idea of giving the classic lemon square a facelift by adding seasonally ripe fruit for a unique lemony flavor. Strawberries are one of my favorite and frankly the most frequently on sale fruit that I just want to incorporate into every dessert I make. I LOVE STRAWBERRIES! These are a process to produce, but nothing that won’t take an experienced baker less than an hour to make.
If this is your first lemon bar, then I’m happy your here first. Lemon bars are set by making a lemon curd or custard atop a buttery shortbread crust. The balance is a beautiful blend of melt in your mouth cookie with a sweet and sour topping that makes yours taste buds sing. The most crucial step is how you set your curd and I have a fool-proof method.
Lemon curd is one of my favorite things to make because of how mesmerizing the process is. You are cooking eggs, lemon juice, and sugar in direct heat so as the eggs start to cook and thicken while you stir you create a custard.
You will cook your custard low and slow while constantly stirring. The mixture will take around 6 – 8 minutes to heat thoroughly. Use a whisk in the early stages of cooking, then use a spatula every minute to scrape the corners and prevent any curd buildup on the sides. This will leave your curd with an eggy taste and will leave chunks in your curd. Don’t fret, the curd will thicken if this happens and just strain it through a mesh sieve in the end.
Once the lemon curd gets thicken is when we will incorporate our strawberry compote. Essentially cooking whatever fruit we’re incorporating with some sugar and cornstarch to create a thick fruit puree. The cornstarch is the secret ingredient. It will prevent the curd from being too runny and will help the fruit set into the lemon well. Now you’re ready to bake!
Chill these overnight for optimal results. These are a great snack to have in the morning with your tea or an evening treat for your family. They are so easy to make once you’ve done this once. I know you will be addicted to trying all types of fruit combinations after trying this one.
For crust:
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups plus two tablespoons flour
Ingredients
1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 whole eggs
4 egg yolks
Continued on next page 
(page 2)
