Chocolate Lemon Bars Recipe

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If desserts had a yearbook, then you'd think a chocolate and lemon confection would get the "least likely to succeed" label. Yet just one bite of these chocolate lemon bars not only proves that assumption wrong, but it proves just how well the unsuspecting and seemingly opposite flavors work together. 

I first fell in love with the idea of chocolate and citrus together after trying a lime-infused dark chocolate bar – the bitterness of the dark chocolate and the brightness of the acerbic citrus balanced out in a way that kept both layers from feeling too rich or too sharp. I used this tasting experience as inspiration for this chocolate lemon bars recipe, which is a sort of iteration on millionaire shortbread, featuring treats with buttery shortbread bases, thick caramel centers, and a crunchy chocolate topping. To infuse lemon into every layer, I mixed cocoa powder and lemon zest in the crust along with lemon curd into the caramel, as well as curls and zest on top of the chocolate ganache coating.

The resulting dessert bar boasts a glossy, citrusy, creamy layer locked between a crumbly shortbread base and a crunchy, chocolatey topping. As a recipe developer and blogger, I make a lot of layered bar cookies, but this chocolate-lemon variation ranks among my all-time favorites. Eaten cold from the fridge, one of these bars tastes like paradise in chocolate form, and it's hard to stop at just one bite.

For the chocolate shortbread base, you'll need all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, powdered sugar, lemon zest, kosher salt, and unsalted butter. For the lemon caramel, set aside more unsalted butter, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, store-bought lemon curd, lemon zest, and kosher salt. As for the rich dark chocolate ganache, a good 70% dark chocolate and heavy cream are the only two ingredients you need. Finally, to add more acidity to the topping, garnish with flaky sea salt and some freshly zested lemon curls.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides.

Begin the shortbread base: Combine the flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and salt in a food processor.

Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and just begins to come together.

Press the crust firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until set. Cool slightly.

For the lemon caramel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved, about 2 minutes.

Pour in condensed milk and stir constantly until mixture thickens and begins to pull away from the sides, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in lemon curd, lemon zest, and salt.

Immediately pour the lemon caramel over the cooled shortbread base and spread out evenly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.

For the dark chocolate ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the simmered heavy cream over the chocolate and let sit 2 minutes without stirring.

Stir the chocolate and heavy cream from the center outward until completely smooth and glossy.

Pour the ganache over the set caramel layer and spread to the edges.

Sprinkle the bars with flaky salt and arrange lemon curls on top.

Refrigerate the bars for at least 2 hours, until fully set.

Lift out of the pan using the parchment overhang and cut into bars with a sharp knife, wiped clean between cuts. Serve the chocolate lemon bars cold or at room temperature.

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The prettiest adaptation you can make to these chocolate lemon bars it to add lemon curd marbling on top. After pouring the ganache on top of the caramel and before transferring to the fridge to set, drop small spoonfuls of lemon curd across the surface and drag a toothpick or skewer through in slow, sweeping strokes. Work quickly so the ganache doesn't set too soon, and avoid over-swirling to keep the shapes and colors looking distinct.

If you'd like to add even more lemon flavor to these bars, you can fold finely chopped lemon peel into the shortbread crust after pulsing it in the food processor. This would add a very intense citrusy note to the shortbread, along with a slightly chewy bite. If you aren't into very dark chocolate, you can swap it for milk or even white chocolate in the ganache. This swap yields a sweeter, mellower bar that allows the citrus to shine even more. A sprinkle of crushed pistachios or freeze-dried raspberries on top can also do wonders for adding color and crunch without much extra effort.

Working with ganache can be tricky, so in case yours isn't turning out when you try to make this recipe, here are a few common problems and solutions. The most common issue with ganache is that it seizes. Instead of turning smooth and glossy, it becomes thick, grainy, and paste-like. This happens when water gets into the chocolate, the cream is too hot, or the chocolate overheats. To fix it, add warm cream 1 tablespoon at a time and stir gently from the center of the bowl outward, until it smooths out. If the ganache has separated and begins to look greasy and "broken," try the same approach over gentle heat from a double boiler.

To prevent issues with your chocolate to begin with, start by choosing the best chocolate you can find or reasonably afford. We call for 70% dark chocolate in this recipe, which is a good chocolate type to keep on hand for baking in general. It has enough cocoa solids to provide a full-bodied flavor with a bitter bite to balance out the sweet caramel. It's also great for emulsifying the ganache. And whatever you do, avoid chocolate chips, which often have a stabilizer that prevents them melting properly, which doesn't work well for ganache.

You also shouldn't skip the rest after pouring the cream over the chocolate. Stirring it immediately can distribute heat unevenly, which causes seizing. Let it sit, then slowly stir from the center outward, until the ganache is completely smooth.

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