Lemon-Ricotta Bars
★★★★☆
PREP TIME
50 minutes
COOK TIME
50 minutes
MAKES
18 (2-inch) squares
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups
unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup
confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup
cornstarch
1 tablespoon
lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon
salt
12 tablespoons
unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 1-inch pieces, slightly softened plus extra for greasing pan
8 ounces
(1 cup) fresh whole milk ricotta, drained
4
large eggs, beaten
1 1/3 cups
granulated sugar
3 tablespoons
unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons
lemon zest
2/3 cup
lemon juice from 3 to 4 large lemons, strained
1/4 teaspoon
salt
Instructions
- To make the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350° F.
- Using a pastry brush, lightly butter a 13x9-inch baking dish and line with one sheet parchment paper. Butter paper, then lay second sheet crosswise over it.
- Pulse flour, confectioner's sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and salt in food processor.
- Add butter and process to blend; then pulse until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal.
- Sprinkle mixture into lined pan and, press firmly with fingers into even layer over entire pan bottom and about 1/2-inch up sides.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes, and then bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- To make the filling: Whisk ricotta, eggs, sugar, and flour in medium bowl, then stir in lemon zest, juice, and salt to blend well.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325° F.
- Stir filling mixture before pouring into warm crust.
- Bake until filling feels firm when touched lightly, about 30 minutes.
- Transfer pan to wire rack; cool to room temperature, at least 2 hours.
- Transfer to cutting board, fold paper down, and cut into bars, wiping knife or pizza cutter clean between cuts.
- Dust with confectioner's sugar.
