It’s no surprise that I love bar cookies. If they’re fruit-based, they’re the pie of cookies. They usually consist of a buttery layer of shortbread or compressed crumble topped with a sweet tart mixture — easier to make for a crowd than drop or slice cookies because you don’t have to fiddle with rolling the dough into individual serving portions. The press-in doughs used for the cookie base are so easy to make, whether cookie crumb or shortbread-based. Simply make the base, top it, then pop the pan in the oven, and slice up the bars to serve. Some require you to bake the bottom layer first, cool a bit, then layer the topping on and bake, or refrigerate.
Of course the queen of bar cookies are lemon bars, with their golden curd set atop a just-yielding press-in buttery base. I like when the lemon curd is super puckery yet still sweet. And my all-time favorite version is from Kathy Ternay, who was chef at my restaurant Angeli Caffe for over 20 years. She generously agreed to share her recipe, which is below. It is the type most familiar to home bakers: A crust that is pressed in, then pre-baked, and a lemony mixture of sugar, lemon juice, and flour poured over, then baked again. Ternay’s is just sweet enough with a forward hit of lemon.
Nancy Silverton has a completely different take on the bar. Her version leans into a purist’s lemon curd, which is not subsequently baked. The curd is made on the stovetop, cooked at 182°, strained, cooled down to 130°, poured on top of the cooked pine nut-studded shortbread, then refrigerated. This is a recipe for perfectionists.
I love cheesecake, but it’s not the most crowd-friendly, so I lean on sopapilla cream cheese bars with their use of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls for an easy-to-serve creamy option. Using a convenience product once in a while is allowed. You gently roll the crescent rolls to smooth out the perforations, then put one layer into a buttered pan. Slather on the cheesecake mixture, and top with the second can of crescent rolls you’ve gently rolled. Top with melted butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. Pop in the oven. I think they’re easier to cut once refrigerated.
Homemade sweet red berry squares with streusel. Credit: Shutterstock.
I’m a sucker for a Linzer torte, that crumbly base topped with good raspberry jam. The bar cookie version is similar to the Icelandic mnarriage cake with its oaty crumble pressed into the pan onto which you slather good-quality rhubarb or raspberry jam. Then it’s topped with more of the crumble, but this time allowed to be crumbly. Ina Garten has created an easy, versatile recipe using granola instead of plain oats in the crumble.
Kathy’s Ternay’s Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the filling
- 6 eggs
- 3 cups sugar
- ½ cup AP flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
For the crust
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups AP flour
Instructions
-
To make the crust, beat the sugar and butter together until creamy. Stir in the salt. Add flour to the mixture one cup at a time, mixing until the dough is smooth.
-
Spread the dough in a 9x13 baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and press it in until it’s a smooth, level surface. Remove the plastic wrap and bake at 350° until light golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.
-
Remove from oven and let cool for at least five minutes before adding the filling.
-
To make the filling: Whisk eggs and sugar together until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, zest, and then the flour until combined. Pour into crust and bake at 325° until set and no longer wobbly, about 15 minutes.