Hello lovelies,
I don’t know about you, but I personally LOVE a recipe which is ridiculously quick and easy to make and bake.
Don’t get me wrong, I love spending hours in the kitchen rustling up something yummy to share with my loved ones but there are days where all I want is a quick recipe that has the most delicious outcome.
Which is what has lead me here today! If you’ve been following my shortbread bar series, you’ll know that each bar is pretty easy to make but sometimes, they can take time.
Therefore, I decided I wanted to create a shortbread bar which has the ultimate flavour with little ingredients and is quick to make and bake. And that, I certainly did!
Introducing to you, my lemon curd shortbread bars. With just 6 simple ingredients, these bars are a lemon lovers dream. They’re tart, sweet and as I keep saying… utterly delicious (if I do say so myself *wink wink*).
So, if these bars have caught your attention and got you wanting more, you know the drill. Keep on scrolling below and you’ll find the recipe!
Category: Sweet Treat
Servings: 9-12 Bars
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Bake Time: 55 Minutes Overall
Overall Time: 1+ Hours
Ingredients You Need For The Base & Topping:
- 170g Of Unsalted Butter
- 105g Of Caster Sugar
- 65g Of Light Brown Sugar
- 2tsp Of Vanilla Bean Paste / Extract
- 280g Of Plain Flour
Ingredients You Need For The Filling:
- 1x Jar Of Lemon Curd
How To Make The Shortbread Bars:
- Firstly, gather together your equipment and ingredients, line a 8” loose bottomed square tin with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 180C / 160C Fan / Gas Mark 4.
- Secondly, in a large bowl, using an electric whisk, beat together the 170g of unsalted butter with the 105g of caster sugar, 65g of light brown sugar and 2tsp of vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Next, slowly add the 280g of plain flour and mix until incorporated and a shortbread dough begins to form.
- Transfer one third of the shortbread dough into a clean bowl and using a fork, break the dough into coarse crumbs and place into the fridge.
- Now, using your hands or a rubber spatula, press the remaining shortbread dough evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking tin.
- Using a fork, prick the dough all over (this stops the dough from puffing up whilst baking).
- Place the tin into the oven and bake for around 18-20 minutes, until the shortbread is golden brown.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
- When cooled, carefully spread the lemon curd across the top of the shortbread in a thick, even layer.
- Take the remaining shortbread dough out the fridge and crumble it across the top of the lemon curd filling.
- Sprinkle a pinch of demerara sugar across the top of the entire bar.
- Place into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the shortbread topping is golden brown and the plum jam filling is bubbling.
- Then, once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin. Once cooled, place into the fridge for an hour to chill (this makes it easier to cut into bars).
- Finally, carefully remove the bars from the tin and using a sharp knife, cut the bars into 9-12 squares.
That’s your Lemon Curd Shortbread Bars prepared and baked, ready for you to enjoy!
Notes:
- For a cleaner cut of these shortbread bars, once cooled, place into the fridge for 30 minutes. This allows it to harden making it easier to cut.
- These lemon curd shortbread bars should last 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or in an airtight container for 3 days at room temperature.
- My lemon curd is shop brought but if you’d prefer to make it by hand, one of the best recipe to follow is: https://www.janespatisserie.com/2015/07/16/homemade-lemon-curd/
See, I told you! Quick, easy and tastes unbelievably good – what more could you possibly want from a shortbread bar?
My family are a family of lemon lovers, so as you can imagine, I was extremely excited to share this with them and hear their thoughts. Much to my delight, they loved them and said the tart lemon curd filling left them wanting more.
Today’s filling is much simpler than my other shortbread bar fillings but boy, does it still pack a punch in flavour. Lemon lovers near and far, I’m here to tell you that you need these bars in your life. Period.
Let me know in the comments below if you make these bars yourself and if you do, what your thoughts are on them. Are you a lemon lover? Did you love the quickness and simpleness of today’s bars?
Sending you all tons of love & hugs as always,
Elle xo
