A touch of cornmeal adds crunch to these rich and tangy Buttermilk Chess Bars.
Buttermilk Chess Bars
Serves: about 16
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
Filling:
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup whole buttermilk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons plain yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Garnish: confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray bottom of a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
- For crust: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Firmly press mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
- Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Leave oven on.
- For filling: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, lemon zest and juice, cornmeal, flour, and vanilla until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
- Bake until filling is set, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan before cutting into squares. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Be sure to give your carton of buttermilk a good shake before measuring; it will settle and separate over time.