Recipe Background
These Winter Citrus Bars are like the burst of sunshine you need when you must break through the worst of the cold weather. The crumbly crust and topping are crisp and sweet, with oats adding substance to the buttery, sweet goodness. The creamy, tangy lemon filling is fantastically electric; the shock to the system your taste buds need when the humdrum of the season gets you down. Winter Citrus Bars are dazzling!
These Winter Citrus Bars are like the burst of sunshine you need when you must break through the worst of the cold weather. The crumbly crust and topping are crisp and sweet, with oats adding substance to the buttery, sweet goodness. The creamy, tangy lemon filling is fantastically electric; the shock to the system your taste buds need when the humdrum of the season gets you down. Winter Citrus Bars are dazzling!
Ingredients
For the crust and the topping:
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned whole oats or quick oats
For the lemon filling:
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk full-fat
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, making sure there is about 1-2-inches of overhang on two of the sides.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and the brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute.
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl.
- Add the vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add the flour, the baking powder, the salt, and the oats to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until combined. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed so everything is incorporated.
- Add a little more than 1/2 of the crumble mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, pressing it down lightly.
- Bake the crust in the baking pan for 12 minutes.
- In a bowl, add the condensed milk, the lemon juice, and the lemon zest and whisk to combine.
- Pour the lemon filling mixture over the hot crust in the baking pan and spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture evenly on top of the lemon filling mixture.
- Bake until the edges of the crumble are very lightly browned and the lemon filling appears set, about 22-25 minutes.
- Transfer the baking pan to a wire rack and allow the bars to cool completely.
- Using the parchment paper overhang, lift the bars out of the baking pan.
- Slice and serve.
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