LEMON ZINGERS
MAKES 16
Graham Crust
1½ cups store-bought graham cracker crumbs
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
⅓ cup granulated sugar
Lemon Filling
2 cans (14 ounces/414 ml each) sweetened condensed milk
10 large egg yolks
4 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup + 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice Candied Lemon Slices
1 large lemon
1¼ cup granulated sugar, divided 1 cup water
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease an 8-inch square baking dish and line it with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides.
Graham Crust Place the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Firmly press crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
Lemon Filling In a medium bowl, whisk the condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over the crust. Bake for 25 minutes until the filling only jiggles slightly when the baking dish is touched. Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°F (100°C). Candied Lemon Slices Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut the lemon into 8 paper-thin slices. Discard the seeds and the rind ends of the lemon. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of the sugar and the water to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat. Add the lemon slices and stir until softened, about 1 minute. Drain. Lay the poached lemon slices on the prepared
baking sheet and sprinkle generously with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Bake until slightly crispy, about 45 minutes. Let cool completely, then cut each slice in half. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the zingers out of the baking dish. Place them on a clean cutting board and pull the parchment paper away from the bars. Run a knife under hot water for about 30 seconds to heat it up. Dry the knife with a clean kitchen towel. While the knife is still hot, cut the lemon zingers into 16 bars, cleaning the knife after each cut. This will help create very clean, crisp cuts. Top each bar with a candied lemon slice. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.