The Best Lemon Bars!

Brown Butter Sage Lemon Bars
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Cool Time: about 2 hours
Makes: 16 servings
Portion Fix: 2 yellows; 3 tsp
Ingredients:
(for the crust)
½ cup + 2 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 ¼ cup AP flour (or gluten-free)
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp fine salt
1 T water
8 sage leaves
2 pinches flakey sea salt
(for the filling)
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup + 2 T AP flour (or gluten-free)
¼ tsp fine salt
1 dash turmeric
1 ½ tsp cream of tartar
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks
Zest of 4 lemons
7 ounces lemon juice, about 6-7 lemons
¼ cup + 2 T unsalted butter, cold
½ ounce limoncello, optional
(topping)
Powdered sugar to cover
Preparation:
Crust:
1) Preheat oven to 350 deg. F and line a 9” x 9” baking dish with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.
2) Melt butter in a medium saucier or sauce pan over medium heat, stirring often.
3) Add sage leaves and, when it stops foaming, immediately turn heat to low and continue stirring until it is brown and nutty (but not black!).
4) Remove from heat, discard sage and immediately stir in sugar and salt to bring down temperature. Stir in flour, until well-incorporated, then water.
5) Turn dough out into prepared baking dish and press into an even layer, filling all the corners.
6) Sprinkle the surface with the flakey sea salt, then prick crust all-over with a fork.
7) Bake, 20- 25 minutes, until golden brown. Then remove from oven and set aside.
Filling:
1) In a medium saucier or sauce pan, whisk together sugar, salt, flour, turmeric, cream of tartar, eggs and yolks, then lastly whisk in the lemon juice and zest.
2) Place over medium heat and stir continuously with a rubber spatula until mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula and leaves a trail when you run your finger across it.
3) Immediately remove from heat and stir in the limoncello and cold butter until fully incorporated.
4) Fine strain filling onto top of crust and shake into an even layer.
5) Bake at 350 deg F, uncovered, 10-15 minutes, until filling is barely jiggly and a little puffed around the edges but not brown on top.
6) Cool bars, uncovered, to room temperature, then lift them by the parchment out of the pan.
7) Top with powdered sugar, trim the edges straight, then divide into 16 equal pieces and serve.
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