Lemon Chocolate Bars

These bars are built in three distinct layers, each one a different flavor and texture. A cocoa shortbread base provides a crisp, buttery, bittersweet foundation. Homemade lemon curd goes on next with its bright, tangy punch. And a thin orange-spiked chocolate ganache on top ties the citrus and cocoa together.

The shortbread base uses both powdered sugar and granulated sugar with unsweetened cocoa and cold butter. Creaming the butter with the cocoa-sugar mix until fluffy, then working in the flour, gives you a tender, crumbly base that bakes for a full 40 minutes until firm. Pricking it with a fork before baking prevents the dough from puffing up and creating an uneven surface for the lemon curd.

The lemon curd cooks separately while the shortbread bakes. Four egg yolks, sugar, fresh lemon juice, butter, and zest whisked together over heat until thick and glossy. It goes onto the hot shortbread so it bonds to the surface instead of sliding off.

Pro Tips

• Line the pan with a foil overhang on two sides. This lets you lift the entire slab out for clean, even cutting.
• Use cold butter for the shortbread. Warm butter makes the dough greasy and the base won’t have that snappy, cookie-like texture.
• Stir the lemon curd constantly over medium-low heat. Walk away for 30 seconds and the egg yolks scramble.
• Let the bars chill completely before slicing. The ganache needs to set firm or it smears across the lemon layer.

Variations

• Skip the orange liqueur in the ganache and use ½ teaspoon of espresso powder for a mocha-lemon combination.
• Add a thin layer of fresh raspberries pressed into the lemon curd before the ganache sets for a lemon-raspberry-chocolate bar.
• Dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar before serving for a cleaner, more finished look.