Best Lemon Dessert Recipes

One of my favorite lemon desserts is lemon bars - tart, creamy lemon topping and crispy, buttery shortbread bottom. I found two fabulous lemon square recipes and they're totally different. The problem is the people who designed these recipes are heroes in creating the 'perfect recipe' and both came up with seriously good lemon bars. How to choose?! One is from Rose Levy Beranbaum (the queen of baking) whose bars are beautiful and delicious, the other is from America's Test Kitchen - and is also beautiful and delicious. The first is lemon curd on shortbread - how could that be wrong? The second is a more traditional baked lemon filling complete with little chewy bits at the corner - also wonderful. The only solution is to try them both!

Rose Levy Beranbaum's best recipe lemon bars from Rose's Christmas Cookies.

Shortbread Base

* 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold)
* 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
* 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 1 1/4 cups bleached all-purpose flour (dip and sweep method)

Lemon Curd Topping

* 4 large egg yolks
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 3 fl oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed (about 2 1/2 large lemons)
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
* Pinch of salt
* 2 tsp lemon zest (finely grated) I use my Microplane, which is great for when you need finely grated zest.
* 2 TB powdered sugar for dusting

EQUIPMENT:
8" square, 2" deep metal baking pan, bottom and 2 sides lined with an 8-inch by 16-inch strip of heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes, wrap it, and refrigerate.

In a food processor with the metal blade, process the sugars for 1 minute or so, until the sugar is very fine. Add the butter and pulse in until the sugar disappears. Add the flour and pulse in until there are a lot of little moist crumbly pieces and no dry flour particles remain.

Dump the mixture into a plastic bag and press it together. Remove the dough from the plastic bag and knead it lightly, until it holds together.

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Pat the dough into the prepared pan. Use a fork to prick the dough all over.

Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the top is pale golden (do not brown).

While the shortbread is baking, prepare the Lemon Curd Topping.

LEMON CURD RECIPE
Have a strainer, suspended over a bowl, ready near the range.

In a heavy saucepan, beat the egg yolks and sugar until well blended. Stir in lemon juice, butter, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 6 minutes, until thickened. It will thickly coat a wooden spoon but is still liquid enough to pour. (A candy thermometer will read 196°F.) The mixture will change from translucent to opaque and begin to take on a yellow color on the back of a wooden spoon. It must not be allowed to boil or it will curdle. (It will steam above 140°F. Whenever steaming occurs, remove the pan briefly from the heat, stirring constantly to prevent boiling.)

When the lemon curd recipe has thickened, pour it at once into the strainer. Press it with the back of a spoon until only the coarse residue remains. Discard the residue. Stir in the lemon zest.

When the shortbread is baked, remove it from the oven, lower the temperature to 300°F., pour the lemon curd on top of the shortbread, and return the lemon bars to the oven for 10 minutes.

Cool the lemon bars completely in the pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the lemon curd completely before cutting. Dust with powdered sugar.

Run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pan and the pastry on the 2 unlined sides. Use the foil to lift out. Use a long, sharp knife to cut the lemon squares. Wipe the blade after each cut.

The powdered sugar will start to be absorbed into the lemon bars topping after several hours, but it can be reapplied before serving.

This is my second favorite lemon bars recipe. Not my 'second favorite', but the second recipe I say makes the best lemon bars. The recipe is from the editors of Cook's Illustrated. One thing I love about them - I've never used a recipe from their magazine or cookbooks that every turned out badly. They test relentlessly, try every variation, and explain why it works the way it does. It's a cookbook for science-minded people and people who want their work to yield good results. I wonder how many recipes for lemon bar they ate to create this perfect lemon square recipe.

Lemon Bars recipe from Baking Illustrated.

Ingredients
Lemon bar crust recipe
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more to decorate the finished bars
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 1-inch pieces

Lemon bars filling recipe
7 large egg yolks, plus 2 large eggs
1 cup plus 2
tablespoons granulated sugar
2/3 cup from 4 or 5 medium lemons, plus 1/4 cup finely grated zest
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Method
MAKE THE CRUST
1.Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Fold two 16-inch pieces of foil or parchment paper lengthwise to measure 9 inches wide. Fit 1 sheet in the bottom of the greased pan, pushing it into the corners and up the sides of the pan (overhang will help in removal of baked bars). Fit the second sheet in the pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray the sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a food processor and process briefly. Add the butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then process until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second pulses. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer over the entire pan bottom. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the crust until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Make the filling
1. In a medium non-reactive bowl, whisk together the yolks and whole eggs until combined, about 5 seconds. Add the granulated sugar and whisk until just combined, about 5 seconds. Add the lemon juice, zest, and salt; whisk until combined, about 5 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a medium non-reactive saucepan, add the butter pieces, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the curd thickens to a thin sauce-like consistency and registers 170°F (76°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Immediately pour the curd through a single-mesh stainless steel strainer set over a clean non-reactive bowl. Stir in the heavy cream; pour the curd into the warm crust immediately.

2. Bake until the filling is shiny and opaque and the center 3 inches jiggle slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Remove the bars from the pan using the foil or parchment handles and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares, wiping the knife clean between cuts as necessary. Sieve confectioners' sugar over the bars, if desired.

These wonderful lemon cookies were a great surprise to me, because I made them simply to use the local produce (lemons from our tree, olive oil from our neighbors) on Crete and to add a shape variety to my Christmas cookie gift baskets. I did not have great expectations, but they were fantastic and were one of the favorites of every gift recipient. I got requests for them later - even my non-lemon loving hubby looked forward to them. The recipe has become well worn. These lemon biscotti are not crumbly and can be chewed without breaking teeth.

Hints for success:
***You must, must, must use a high quality, flavorful olive oil. It is part of the flavor of these cookies.
***Don't even attempt to make these without parchment or, better still, the *magical* Silpat Baking Mats.

***The lemon cookie 'dough' is very loose - somewhere between a dough and a batter. I use a silicone spatula/scraper to form the 'log'. They spread a lot during cooking - don't crowd them.
***The color is rather unimpressive during the first baking, but the lemon biscotti take a pleasant golden brown hue during the second baking. Have heart!

Best lemon - hazelnut biscotti recipe
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
The zest of 3 lemons, minced (mincing not necessary if you use a Microplane)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned

***If making walnut-lemon cookies, substitute 1/4 cup
Roasted Walnut Oil for olive oil and 1 cup walnuts for hazelnuts.


1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Sift flour, baking powder, & salt together onto a piece of waxed paper.

3. In a large bowl, whisk 2 of the eggs until foamy. Whisk in sugar gradually; continue whisking until the mixture is pale yellow & light, about 4 minutes. Whisk in oil, then add the lemon zest and mix well. Mix in the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Add hazelnuts and stir until incorporated.

4. Turn out/pour half of the dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Shape into a log 8" by 2". Repeat with other half and second sheet. Brush with egg wash.

5. Bake the logs in the center of the oven until they are puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Leave the oven on.

6. Cut each log with sharp or serrated knife on the diagonal into 24 pieces (or the size you want). Place the slices, cut side down, on the parchment-lined sheets and bake until they are golden on one side, about 15 minutes. Turn the slices and bake until golden on the other side, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let cool on wire racks.

Great with wine, tea, infusions or milk.
Makes about 48 cookies.

Best Lemon Dessert Recipes: Frozen Lemon Mousse from Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients:
* 8 - 10 lemons
* 2 C sugar
* 8 egg yolks
* 2 whole eggs
* 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 1 1/2 C plus 2 TB heavy cream, chilled
* Candied Lemon Zest
* 8 oz creme fraiche

1. Prepare ice-water bath. Juice 1 lemon & reserve juice. Juice additional lemons to yield 1 cup. Make lemon curd: Place 1 C lemon juice, sugar, egg yolks, whole eggs, & butter in saucepan; whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until it begins to boil, about 7 minutes.
2. Strain curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl set in the ice bath. Stir periodically until cool; remove from ice bath. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of curd to prevent a skin from forming; refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
3. Place 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream in large mixing bowl; whisk until soft peaks form. Reserve 1/2 cup lemon curd for sauce; add remaining lemon curd to whipped cream. Fold gently until well combined.
4. Place an 8-inch nonstick springform pan on baking sheet. Transfer mousse to springform pan. Place in freezer on sheet until firm, at least 4 hours.
5. Drain candied lemon zest; reserve syrup. Make the lemon sauce: Whisk 1/3 cup syrup, reserved 1/2 cup lemon curd, and reserved juice of 1 lemon in a small bowl. Remove frozen mousse from freezer and let warm 4 to 5 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, whisk creme fraiche and remaining 2 tablespoons cream in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Remove sides of springform pan. Slice mousse and place on plates. Spoon lemon sauce around mousse; top with creme fraiche. Garnish with candied zest, and serve.

This fabulous lemon tart is a combination of cornmeal crunch and smooth lemon curd - it's perfect for lemon lovers. From the phenomenal In The Sweet Kitchen by Regan Daley, a fabulous cookbook and all around baking companion, especially if you're into desserts like I'm into desserts. Sadly, the binding was shot very quickly on my copy, but this issue may have been corrected in subsequent printings - or it could have been because I used the book too often.

Cornmeal Crusted Lemon Tart Dessert Recipe

For the Pastry:
1 3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
9 Tb unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk

For the Filling:

6 large eggs
6 large egg yolks
2 cups sugar
2 TB finely grated lemon zest
1 1/3 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp, cut in small pieces
1 pint fresh raspberries (optional garnish)

1. Prepare the tart shell: Combine dry ingredients in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until the largest bits are pea sized. In a small bowl, beat egg and egg yolk, then add egg mix to the food processor. Pulse to distribute evenly, then transfer to a medium bowl.

2. Using your fingers, crumble mixture together until it's a uniformly moist crumble. Press into a 10.5 inch round tart pan with removeable bottom. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Pierce the shell bottom with a fork. Line with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake 20 minutes or until the edges are starting to turn golden. Remove weights and foil, continue baking until shell is golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes more. Cool completely before filling.

4. Prepare the lemon filling. Prepare a double boiler. In a bowl, whisk together eggs and yolks. Whisk in sugar, then zest and juice. Put the bowl on the top of the double boiler, making sure the bottom water is barely simmering. Stir constantly until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon and is the consistency of pudding (about 15-20 minutes). Do not boil.

5. Remove curd from the heat and immediately stir in room temp butter, a few bits at a time until all is incorporated. Pour hot curd into tart shell. Allow to set at room temperature for 4-6 hours before serving.

Best the day it's made.

Most of the flavor in this cake comes from the icing glaze. I used blackberries for the sauce, but any berry would work well with lemon.

It's a lovely casual cake - it doesn't get fancy, but not every cake needs to be fancy.

Lemon Blackberry Cornmeal Cake:

Glaze:

* 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
* 2 TB (or more) fresh lemon Juice

Cake:

* 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
* 1/3 cup cornmeal
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 cup milk plus 1 TB lemon juice, let stand a few minutes
* 2 lg eggs
* 1 TB finely grated lemon peel
* 3/4 tsp vanilla (or lemon extract or limoncello - use your imagination).
* 4 oz butter, melted and cooled

Make the glaze. Add enough lemon juice to make it a thick paste. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350.

Butter & flour or line with parchment the bottom of a 9" round pan.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the eggs into the milk mixture. Add liquids and lemon zest to dry ingredients, fold in just until there are no dry lumps. Scrape batter into prepared pan, put in the oven. Bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick in the middle comes out dry. Remove and spread the lemon glaze over it (up to about 1/2 inch from the edges - it will run) while it's still hot.

For the sauce: Smash 2 cups of blackberries (or most any berry) with 1/2 cup of sugar - bring to a boil then let it cool.