Pistachio Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
Description
These pistachio lemon bars are bright, zippy, nutty and buttery. A flavor upgrade from classic lemon bars, the crust features toasted pistachios and a dash of cardamom while the lemon curd is sweetened with honey for a floral note that pairs wonderfully with lemon and pistachios.
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Ingredients
Pistachio Shortbread Crust
- ¾ cup (100g) raw, shelled and unsalted pistachios
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (15g) confectioners’ sugar + more for dusting
- ¾ cup (100g) all-purpose flour or white whole-wheat flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 4 tablespoons (60g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 large egg yolk (20g)
Lemon Curd Filling
- 5 lemons
- 8 large egg yolks (150g)
- 2 large eggs (100g)
- ½ cup (175g) honey
- pinch kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
Instructions
Pistachio Shortbread Crust
- Heat oven to 350ºF (176ºC) with rack set in middle position.
- Make foil sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of foil to be 8 inches wide each. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, fold extra foil over edges of pan. Push foil flush to pan, into corners and up sides. Coat with nonstick spray.
- Pour ¾ cup (100g) pistachios onto a baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant and starting to brown, 5–8 minutes. Let pistachios cool completely. (I pop mine in the freezer for 10 minutes to quicken the process).
- Process cooled pistachios, ¼ cup (50g) sugar, and 2 tablespoons (15g) confectioners’ sugar in food processor until pistachios are finely ground, about 20 seconds. Add ¾ cup (100g) flour, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon cardamom and pulse until combined, about 5 pulses.
- Scatter 4 tablespoons butter over top and process until mixture resembles damp sand, about 15 seconds. With processor running, add egg yolk and process until dough forms a rough ball, about 15 seconds.
- Transfer mixture to prepared foil-lined pan and press firmly into an even layer. Bake until crust is fragrant, golden brown all over, and dry to touch, 20–25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let crust cool completely; at least 1 hour.
Lemon Curd Filling
- Zest 5 lemons using a microplane; should measure a packed ¼ cup lemon zest. Juice lemons and measure out ¾ cup juice (195g). Add lemon zest and lemon juice to a medium saucepan with 8 egg yolks, 2 eggs, ½ cup (175g) honey, and a pinch of salt; whisk together until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with whisk or rubber spatula, until mixture thickens slightly and registers 165–168°F, about 8 minutes.
- Immediately remove saucepan from heat and stir in 4 tablespoons butter until completely incorporated. Strain lemon curd through fine-mesh sieve into a bowl then pour warm curd over cooled crust; slightly turn and rotate pan to even out filling in pan.
- Bake until filling is shiny and opaque and center jiggles slightly when shaken, 12–16 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let bars cool completely in pan, about 2 hours. Using foil overhang, lift bars from pan and transfer to cutting board. Cut into squares and chill until ready to serve. Dust with confectioners' sugar (optional) and serve.
Notes
Storage: For the best quality, enjoy these lemon squares on the day they're made. I like to chill them once they have completely cooled at room temperature. Stored in the refrigerator, covered in plastic wrap, these will last up to 3 days. Stored any longer and the crust will start to soften and the lemon curd will start to weep.
Nutrition
Serving: 1barCalories: 355kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 8gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 264mgSodium: 82mgFiber: 2gSugar: 23g
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