Lemon Bars with Lemon Curd and Shortbread Crust

Ingredients:

Shortbread Crust

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes while ice cold, then brough to room temperature

Filling

11oz jar of Elizabethan Pantry Lemon Curd

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon water

Powdered Sugar to top the bars after baking

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease 8inch pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Make the crust by mixing flour and sugar in a medium bowl.  Add in the cubed butter and mix with your fingertips or a fork until it looks like breadcrumbs.

Spread the mixture into the pan, using a spoon to spread it evenly.  Lightly flouring the spoon will help it not get too sticky.

Bake the crust for 25-28 minutes, or until golden brown for a crunchier crust.  For a softer crust, bake 20-23 minutes, or until it just starts changing color.

Make the filling by mixing cornstarch slurry and lemon curd together in a small bowl.

Add the filling to the parbaked crust with a spoon to create an even layer.  Bake for another 12-15 minutes or until the filling has started to turn a darker yellow and the filling only jiggles a little bit. 

Depending on how cold it is in your house, the lemon curd may require additional time to bake.

Remove the bars from the oven and dust with powdered sugar.

Set the pan in the fridge for 1-2 hours to set.  Cut and serve.

Substitutions:

If you want extra tall lemon bars, add 2 jars of lemon curd.  Be sure to double the cornstarch mixture as well to set the lemon curd.

Key Lime Curd bars are also great!  Simply substitute Key Lime Curd instead of Lemon Curd.