Lemon Poppy Seed Bars

From: cooking.nytimes.com

Yields: 16 Servings

Ingredients

  • • 1 cup /228 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
  • • 0.67 cup /130 grams granulated sugar
  • • 0.75 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • • 2 Finely grated zest of
  • • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or ¼ teaspoon almond extract)
  • • 2.25 cups /270 grams all-purpose flour
  • • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • • 1 cup /240 grams lemon curd, homemade or store-bought

Steps

  • Step 1Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square metal baking pan and line the bottom sides with parchment, leaving 1 inch of overhang all around. 
  • Step 2Add sugar and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add lemon zest and mix with the paddle attachment until the sugar is moist and fragrant, about 1 minute. 
  • Step 3Add the butter and beat on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 3 minutes. Beat in the extract.
  • Step 4Turn off the mixer, add flour, then mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add poppy seeds and continue to mix on low until incorporated but still crumbly, about 1 minute (do not overmix the dough). 
  • Step 5Transfer 1 cup of the crumbled dough to a small bowl. Transfer the remaining dough to the prepared pan and flatten into an even layer using the flat bottom of a glass or your hands. Spread the curd in an even layer over the surface of the crust and sprinkle with reserved dough, crumbling into pieces as you sprinkle. 
  • Step 6Bake, rotating after 20 minutes, until the crumb topping is golden brown and the curd bubbles at the edges, 40 to 48 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely in the pan, at least 1½ hours. 
  • Step 7Use the parchment to lift the bars out of the pan onto a cutting board. Trim parchment off the edges and cut into 16 squares.