Favorite Frosted Lemon Tart or Bars
Summer is in full swing around here (finally) after a rainy start. We are taking the good days when they come! Two fun meals most recently included Mr. SB’s birthday dinner held at our club on the shore as well as my book group (held on our deck and dining room as thunderstorms made it impossible to have at the shore club).
Shore Menu (including lemon tart for the birthday dessert)
Last Sunday was a hot one on the shore. I was on Race Committee for the club and after a long day on the water was looking forward to a yummy dinner and at Mr. SB’s request, I had made his favorite lemon tart. As usually he loves cheesecake and is a picky French guy – a special request for lemon tart means something!
Our friends joined us for both happy hour and a dinner of teriyaki salmon on a cedar plank, caprese salad with fresh basil from my garden, mediterranean pasta salad and the tart! Good club friends stopped in spontaneously and let’s just say you know you are having fun when the club staff tell you they are closing soon and it is time to pack up!
Book Group Menu (including lemon bars)
I made two tarts actually – as this recipe works so well in bar form too – I made one in an 8 by 8 pan. My book group came over on Wednesday so I made the bars and tart on Saturday and froze the bars but did not frost them. They came out great. As we had been planning on going to the shore the rest of the menu was picnic food – but worked well for a summer book group menu. Will make these again – here is the easy make ahead menu.
Charcuterie board with prosciutto, salami, Boursin, dried apricots, nuts and grapes (enjoyed on the deck before a rain storm)
Toasted Israeli cous cous with grilled vegetables
Grilled lemon pepper chicken
Lemon bars and brownies for dessert
Super easy to make ahead and delicious! Here is the recipe for Mr. SB’s favorite frosted lemon tart or bars. Enjoy!
Equipment
- 1 Tart pan
- 1 8 by 8 pan
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup Unbleached, all purpose flour
- 8 tbsp Unsalted butter at room temperature (1 stick)
- 1/4 cup Confectioners sugar
Filling
- 1 cup Granulated white sugar
- 2 Large eggs
- 2 tbsp Unbleached, all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 3 tbsp Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Freshly grated lemon zest
Frosting
- 2 1/2 tbsp Unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups Confectioners sugar
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Freshly grated lemon to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center of your oven
- For the tart or bar crust – combine 8 tbsp of butter 1 cup of flour, and 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar with a fork or pastry blender (I prefer the latter) until the flour is absorbed into the butter in a course mixture. Take the mixture and put it into your bar or tart pan. Press it down to an even layer. I like to use a ramekin to press it down. Bake until the crust is a light brown. Watch it carefully after about ten minutes (it will take between 10 to 16/17 minutes).
- Make your filling by whisking together the eggs, granulated sugar, 2 tbsp of flour, baking powder, 3 tbsp of lemon juice and the lemon zest until combined. Pour over the partly baked crust and continue baking until the filling is firm, about 25 minutes or so. Let the tart or bars cobol completely before frosting. If freezing (and this recipe freezes really well), do not frost.
- For beat the frosting – beat 2 1/2 tbsp of butter with 1 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar until smooth. Add the lemon juice until the frosting is at a good spreading consistency.
- Spread icing over the bars once completely cooled (or if you freeze ahead of time, remove from freezer and let thaw). Sprinkle lemon zest on top. Let sit for at least an hour before cutting into squares or slices of tart. Enjoy!
Cary B.
Delicious! Super easy. I made this for a dinner party and it came out great!