Dreamy Lemon Meringue Bars
When life gives you lemons but… you can’t decide whether to make Lemon squares or Lemon Meringue Pie!?! Why not make the best of both! These Dreamy Lemon Meringue Bars are the perfect light, tangy, and mouth-watering dessert to welcome spring!
Lemon squares were the very first dessert that I fell in love with during my early baking days. My mom made them once and I became enamoured by the combination of tangy lemon curd and buttery shortbread! They were my favourite thing to bring to parties with friends!
As a meringue lover, when it dawned on me that I could combine my favourite lemon squares with delicious meringue to create the most dreamy, sweet and tart spring dessert, I was in heaven! This recipe is not only sure to satisfy your every dessert cravings but also serves as a stress-relieving, therapeutic baking activity! Hand-mixing helps relax the mind, melt away stress, and promote a happier mood! 🙂
To make these Dreamy Lemon Meringue Bars, you will need:
- Softened Butter
- Sugar
- Flour
- Eggs
- Lemons
- **Meringue essentials: Cream of tartar, salt, egg whites
Let’s make my favourite lemon Meringue bars!
Start by preheating your oven to 350F (325F convection bake). Line a 9″x13” baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, *and using clean hands* massage butter into ½ cup sugar and 2 cups flour until a mixture resembling wet sand forms. (This is my favourite step!! Be sure not to forget to stop…smell the butter… and feel the sand mixture develop between your fingers!)
Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the 9”x13″ baking pan.
Bake for ~20-25 min (22 min with my oven) or until edges are golden brown. While crust is baking, whisk together eggs, sugar, and flour.
Once crust is baked and removed from the oven, whisk lemon juice into egg mixture and pour over the crust.
Return to baking pan to the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until set to a slight wobble.
Allow to cool completely. If you only want lemon squares, decorate with icing sugar, cut, and stop here!
For Lemon Meringue Cloud Bars: In a double boiler (bowl over simmering water), combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar (make sure bowl is not touching the simmering water, only heated by the steam!).
Whisk until mixture is hot to the touch and no longer feels gritty between two fingers ( If you have a candy thermometer, heat mixture until it is ~135F).
Remove mixture from heat and whisk on high until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over lemon bars.
Use a hand torch or the broiler setting of your oven (heating for 30s at a time) to lightly toast meringue topping.
Cut bars using a hot knife and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Enjoy!!
Lemon Meringue Cloud Bars
Ingredients
Lemon Square Shortbread Base
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 cup All-purpose Flour spooned into measuring cup and levelled with knife
Lemon Curd Filling
- 1 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 tbsp All-purpose flour
- 4 Eggs large
- 3 Lemons
Meringue
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 4 Egg whites large
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
Lemon Square Recipe
- Start by preheating your oven to 350F (325F convection bake). Line a 9"x13” baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, use your clean hands to blend butter into ½ cup sugar and 2 cups flour until a mixture resembling wet sand forms.
- Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the 9”x13" pan.
- Bake for ~22 minutes or until edges are golden brown. While crust is baking, whisk together eggs, sugar, and flour.
- Once crust is baked and removed from oven, whisk lemon juice into egg mixture and pour over the crust.
- Return to baking pan to the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until set to a slight wobble
- Allow to cool completely. If only want to make lemon squares, decorate with icing sugar, cut, and stop here! If making Lemon Meringue Bars, leave Lemon squares bare and continue to follow recipe instructions below!
Meringue Topping
- In a double boiler (bowl over simmering water), combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. (make sure bowl is not touching the simmering water, only heated by the steam!).
- Whisk until mixture is hot to the touch and no longer feels gritty (candy thermometer ~135F ).
- Remove mixture from heat and whisk on high until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over lemon bars.
- With a hand torch or using the broiler setting of your oven (heating for 30s at a time) until the meringue looks nicely toasted.
- Cut bars using a hot knife and refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!
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