Here’s what happens when you add a blow torch to your kitchen arsenal: you find an excuse to toast or brûlée everything in sight. When you have fire from a portable gun, why wouldn’t you top everything in sugar and crisp it? It’s foolish not to, frankly.
Can we make nachos with a kitchen torch? There’s only one way to find out.
Let’s focus on the matter at hand: buttery shortbread crust, sweet and tangy Meyer lemon filling, topped with caramelized and crisp sugar. Brûléed sugar, because we have actual torch fire in our hands.
Classic lemon bars, with a small stroke of genius.
This recipe was inspired by Christina of Dessert For Two. I happen to believe in dessert for too many, but Christina is reasonable and disciplined where I am not. Old habits (die hard).
We start with the crust.
Crust is a scary word but this is a press-in shortbread so rest easy!
Softened shortbread and powdered sugar and Go!
Flour and salt are added to the fluffy butter and sugar mixture.
That’s it! That was too easy, right?
The crust goes away to bake in the oven while the filling is real-quick whisked together.
I used Meyer lemons for this recipe because I LOVE how they smell, they’re slightly sweeter than regular lemons, and they were the same price as regular lemons at Whole Foods and I was like, wait a minute… Meyer lemons are more fancy and classy than regular lemons so why would I buy these boring old regular lemons when these Meyer lemons are looking mighty fine and wait… why am I spending 99cents per lemon anyway… I need a lemon tree that I won’t kill, GEEZ!
So that’s why we’re using Meyer lemons. Cool story.
Eggs are whisked with the sugar.
Yes, that’s a pie plate I’m using as a mixing bowl. I was like… which bowl will I hate the least when I have to wash it? This one! Scalloped edges. I dunno.
Lemon zest in with the sugar and eggs. Lots of flavor in that zest. Don’t sleep on the zest.
Flour, lemon juice, and a splash of vanilla extract to finish of the super easy filling.
You’re right. It smells delicious.
The filling is poured over the warm, baked shortbread crust.
Baked until fragrant and firm. Golden brown around the edges.
We’re almost at torch time!
The lemon bars are cooled and sliced.
It helps to run a knife along the sides of the pan to help the lemon bars out of the pan.
I like to slice the bars before brûlée-ing them to avoid cracking the crisp sugar with slicing.
Sliced and sugar sprinkled. A thin but aggressive layer of granulated sugar.
A wave of the magic wand kitchen torch will brown, caramelize and if you’re not careful, quickly burn the bars. A light touch. It’s fire and sugar.
I like to brûlée the bars just before serving to ensure that they’re freshly crisp, otherwise the sugar may tend to soften and weep.
Now… what are we going to torch next!?
Print
Meyer Lemon Bar Brûlée
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- big pinch of salt
For the Topping
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup or sprinkling on top to brûlée
- 1 teaspoon fresh Meyer lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
Instructions
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8×8-inch baking pan, line with parchment paper (so that it over hangs slightly from the pan) and grease the parchment paper. Set aside.
- To make the crust, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add flour and salt. Beat on low speed until dough is incorporated. Dough may come together, but if it remains shaggy, that’s fine too.
- Dump the crust into the prepared pan, lightly coat fingers in flour, and use your fingertips to press the dough into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until just browned around the edges.
- You can make the filling while the crust is baking! In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until well combined and slightly thick. Add the flour, lemon juice, and zest and whisk until blended.
- Pour the filling over the still warm baked crust. Return to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top and no longer jiggling in the center.
- Allow to cool completely in the pan. Run a knife around the edges of the pan. Slice lemon bars into nine squares and remove from the parchment paper. Just before serving, generously sprinkle each lemon bar square with granulated sugar. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until amber or golden brown. Allow a few minutes for the sugar to harden and crisp before serving.
41 Responses
I’ve made this recipe a few times now and it’s incredible! It’s become a favorite for sure!
Next on kitchen list:
Fire!
These look amazing! Can I make them with regular lemons as well?
You know another thing that takes beautifully to being brûléed? Cheesecake! I make an ‘apple and raspberry cheesecake slice’ that almost causes a riot every time I make it. It looks complex but in reality it’s nothing more than a simple biscuit base, scattered with tinned pie apples and fresh raspberries, with the cheesecake mix poured over and a brûléed top. Easy, but so effective!
I saw these bars in a gift book. Went on the hunt for recipe and found this one. My little Meyer lemon tree churns out 35 a year of the BEST lemons created. Two years ago I bought my blow torch…was scared I’d burn down the house so never cranked her up…I definitely will now! Wish me luck and good eating :€ )
Hi Joy, if I don’t have a kitchen torch do you think I could use a lighter?
No, I don’t think that would be safe. I would suggest investing in a torch. :)
Awesome idea! These look so good!
I never thought it was possible to make lemon bars even more delicious than they already are! Yum!
oh wow, yes please!
These look amazing! I love love love lemon – I’ve never tried creme brûlée with lemon before so I definitely want to give this one a go :)
Looks super similar to my lemon bars if you want to check them out xx
https://the-lifeofjax.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/classic-lemon-bars.html
// I can already taste these lemon bars and your delish recipe is on my Friday gluten cheat-day treat list! Not to mention the blow torch being a fire sign, hahaha — it’s a must have, …like right now! It could quickly become my new secret weapon too! :) Thanks for sharing Joy!
Yum! I love to brûlée! I never really thought of doing it with lemon bars but it’s a genius idea.
What to torch next? DONUTS, obviously. I’m hurt you even has to ask.
If I could eat one dessert every day for the rest of my life, it might be these bars. Shortbread plus lemon plus a torched top. Heaven! Also a good excuse to put my torch to good use! It doesn’t get enough exercise.
Yay Christina! She was my “secret buddy” from The FoodBuzz Festival back when The FoodBuzz Festival existed…
You are the SWEETEST! I believe in dessert for too many, too! Maybe that’s my next book title? It sounds a whole heckuva lot better than ‘Dessert for two plus all my kids…yes, I feed my kids dessert. and no they don’t have behavior issues.’ Working title, you know.
I think I’m going to go on a hunt to find a torch right now just so I can make these delicious looking bars! Love them!
This sounds like something I must make today.
Amazing! I just landed myself with a blow torch recently but haven’t found enough things to make with it – so these lemon bars are definitely going to happen. Such a good tip to slice the bars before torching them so they don’t crack – I don’t think I ever would have thought of it!
I used to work at Salty Tart bakery in MPLS and one of my favorite things to do there was torch the creme brulee! So much fun! Love this unique variation of a classic dessert. :D
The order for the torch is IN!!!
You have most decadently incorporated my most favorite flavors (lemon) and textures (crispy sugar and custard) into my new favoritest dessert! So, much for fitting into the clothes that I grew out of last month!
I had a Meyer lemon tree in my backyard in Venice, CA. I used to make Martha’s Lemon Chiffon Cake on a regular basis. It fell down, roots raised up out of the earth, one winter, cuz we had a LOT of rain and it was so full of heavy lemons. My brother helped me tip it back into the ground and we built a prop-up for it. 10 years later that baby is still producing! Want me to send you some? :)
Take care, Ms. Joy.
These sound fantastic and your photos are gorgeous – I’m jealous of those marble countertops!
Oh HECK YES to busting out the torch whenever possible. Because why not. These look FAB. Meyer lemons are the best. They trump regular old lemons all the way.
What a great idea! I may need to get my hands on my very own kitchen torch so I can try this out.
I gave away my kitchen torch as part of my suitcase only moving purge. I can’t wait to buy a new one in Scotland and try this recipe!
Everyone should have a kitchen blowtorch. These look positively incredible! I find myself craving lemon stuff, and clearly I should just make these… yummmm
These look so delicious and yes, of course, why not torch the top of a lemon bar?!? Genius.
P.S. In the text up-top it says to mix the softened shortbread and powdered sugar…I think you meant butter? xx
I totally need to add a kitchen blowtorch to my arsenal if only for this recipe.
The cost of lemons kills me too!! I suppose it makes lemon desserts all that more special. Love a good ol’ buttery biscuit base as well. Keep us updated on what you’re torching next!
This look so darn delish, I can’t wait to try it.
holy moly! I love meyer lemons and have tried to grow them since leaving CA 20 years ago. spoiled by having a neighbors tree that supplied me all through the season. Anyway, since I stink at keeping them alive in Indiana, I’ll give this over-the-top bar a try!
Those crunchy tops though, love it!
That bit about the meyer lemons was just a gosh darn good monologue
Very clever, Yum!!
You’re a genius! I love this idea and I’m always excited for a chance to break out my blow torch! It kind of makes me feel like a kitchen super hero…I dunno…
I need these and a torch now!! Yum! thanks for sharing this!
Love these! I am glad to see that the white stuff forms on the top of your lemon bars too. I always think I’m doing something wrong… Any idea why that happens?
When my husband and I got married, we each brought a torch into the relationship. That’s how you know you’re meant to be.
I’ve got a Labor Day party coming up with new friends that I need to impress, and I’m thinking these might do the trick. Any excuse to play with fire…
Those tops are fabulous. I love a good lemon bar!
Those brûléed bars look delicious. I envy you for owning a blow torch – it would have made making baked Alaskas that much easier. Brûléed eggs à la Alvin Cailan next?