Lemon bars

When I moved to Bangalore last year, one of the big reasons to do so was to escape the scorching Delhi summer. Little did I know that the temperate weather of this city is now firmly a thing of the past. To be honest, the last summer I spent in Bangalore, in 2010, was bad enough. For the very first time in my life, I had a heat stroke. That is quite something for someone who grew up in Delhi. But, I still had hope. Hope, that has, unfortunately, not lived up to much. Sure there are the odd days with lovely afternoon rain and cool breeze, but given the lack of an actual winter and torrential monsoons, Bangalore’s weather, which was never a huge draw for me anyway, is now just a pain in the ass.

Five or six weeks ago, when the heat wasn’t quite as life-sapping, I met a friend for a picnic lunch at the recently spruced-up park near Madiwala Lake. She brought methi parathas and chutney (yum!) and I baked these lemon bars for dessert. It was so much fun that I cannot wait for the heat to simmer down a few notches so I can start eating picnic lunches more often, even if it is alone in the middle of the work day. I really can’t think anything better to clear out my head after a busy morning so I can attack work with the same ferocity in the afternoon.

Lemon bars
Adapted from Joy the Baker
(makes 16 small bars)

For the crust,
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
A pinch of salt

For the topping,
2 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and grease an 8 in. × 8 in. baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper so that it hangs over from all four sides and grease to the paper as well.

2. To make the crust, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add salt and flour, and mix till the dough till they are incorporated. The dough maybe a bit shaggy, but that is ok.

3. Transfer the dough to the lined and greased baking sheet and press the dough to the bottom of the pan using your fingers. Bake the crust for 15–18 minutes until the edges are just browned.

4. While the crust is baking, start making the filling by whisking together the eggs and sugar till the mixture is thick. To this add flour, juice and zest and whisk till they are well-blended.

5. Pour the filling over the baked crust. Bake for about 18–20 minutes till the top is lightly browned and the center is no longer jiggling.

6. Allow the lemon bars to cool completely in the pan. Slice them into sixteen small bars and use the hanging parchment paper to life the bars out. Sprinkle icing sugar on them and store in an airtight container separated by wax paper.