How do I brown the butter?

Place the butter in a skillet and begin to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally so the milk solids at the bottom don't burn. Be patient, as the butter can sputter and burn quickly if the heat is too high. After about 5-10 minutes, the milk solids at the bottom of the pan should start to turn a “teddy bear brown” color and the surrounding liquid will become light amber. Let it cool off just to room temperature. You can place the butter in a bowl and chill with an ice bath or in the refrigerator to speed up this process.

Where to buy freeze-dried strawberries:

I buy my freeze-dried strawberries from Trader Joe's, one 1.2-ounce bag is plenty for this recipe. Make sure you purchase ones that say "freeze-dried" and not just dehydrated, as anything other than freeze-dried will not blend into the fine powder we want.

How should I make the strawberry powder?

Because freeze-dried strawberries tend to break up very easily, almost anything will work to create a fine powder. A blender, food processor, or even a rolling pin and plastic bag will yield a fine enough powder. The main reason I recommend a spice/coffee grinder is because such a small amount of strawberry powder is required in this recipe, so a blender is unnecessarily large for this task. Make sure you make the powder right before using though, as it will pick up moisture quickly over time and cake very easily, which prevents it from mixing properly in the filling.

How do I know when it's done baking?

Once the filling has set and the top is ever so slightly browning, you're done! The filling has set when it no longer wobbles in the center when shaken back and forth.

Small-Batch Strawberry Lemon Bars - Mia's Kitchen Counter

Description

With a classic tart lemon flavor, a sweet burst strawberry, and a brown butter shortbread crust, these strawberry lemon bars are the whole package for a summer dessert!

Ingredients

Scale

Shortbread Crust:

1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, browned
1/4 cup (54 grams) light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

2 tablespoons (15 grams) freeze-dried strawberry powder
1/4 cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/8 cups (225 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (112 grams) lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
3 large eggs
powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)

Instructions

Shortbread Crust:

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the butter until lightly browned, then cool back to room temperature.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cooled butter and sugar until lighter in color.
Add the flour and salt and mix just until a dough starts to form.
Press the dough into a 9-inch by 9-inch square baking pan evenly and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 350ºF in the meantime.
Once chilled, bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.
Prick the dough all over with a fork once done baking.

Filling:

In a spice grinder, blend the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder and measure out 15 grams.
In a large bowl, whisk the strawberry powder, flour, and sugar until combined.
Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and eggs and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Pour the mixture over the baked crust and bake at 350ºF for an additional 30 minutes or until the filling has set.
Cool for 30 minutes, then dust with powdered sugar if desired, and enjoy!

Notes

When blending the freeze-dried strawberries, make sure to measure the weight called for in this recipe after processing to ensure you use an accurate amount.
You can use a blender, food processor, or even a rolling pin and plastic bag to crush the freeze-dried strawberries, but I find a spice/coffee grinder works best.
The filling is set when it no longer wobbles in the center when gently shaken.
Leftover bars should be stored in the refrigerator.

Keywords: Strawberry Lemon Bars Brown Butter Shortbread