Lemon-Blueberry Bars
Makes 16 servings
For the crust:
1 1⁄4 cups (160 grams) all-purpose flour
1⁄3 cup (40 g) confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1⁄4 tsp fine sea salt 10 tablespoons (140 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
For the curd:
1 1⁄2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
3⁄4 cup (180 millilitres) fresh lemon juice (from 4 to 5 lemons)
3 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
2 tsp cornstarch
Pinch of fine sea salt
8 tbsp (113 g) unsalted butter (1 stick), diced
1⁄2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest 1 1⁄2 tsp finely grated lime zest (optional or substitute lemon zest)
3⁄4 cup (80 g) fresh blueberries
Total time: 90 minutes, plus cooling and chilling
1. Heat oven to 325 F and line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper so it hangs over the edges on all sides by a few inches. (You may need to use two pieces of parchment.)
2. Make the crust: in the bowl of a food processor, pulse to combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest and salt. Add butter and pulse until a crumbly dough forms, about 10 seconds. (Or mix dry ingredients in a bowl and use pastry cutter to cut in butter, clumping the mixture together in your hands until it holds together.) Press dough into prepared pan. Bake until light golden, 25 to 35 minutes.
3. As crust bakes, make the curd: in a medium pot, whisk together the granulated sugar, lemon juice, egg yolks, whole eggs, cornstarch and fine sea salt until well combined. Place over medium heat and stir with a heatproof rubber spatula (or wooden spoon), making sure to scrape around the sides and edges of the pot, until mixture is simmering and thickened, five to 10 minutes.
4. Bring mixture to a boil and let cook for about 30 seconds, but no longer than one minute. Immediately strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in butter, lemon zest and lime zest, and stir until butter melts. Stir in blueberries.
5. Pour mixture over crust, then stir to evenly distribute berries. Return to oven, and bake until blueberries begin to burst and curd starts to turn golden around the edges, 33 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator until thoroughly cold before cutting, at least three hours. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar right before serving.