Lemon Slice with Tea (Printable)
A zesty lemon slice with rich black tea, perfect for a light afternoon indulgence.
# What You'll Need:
→ Lemon Slice Crust
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
→ Lemon Filling
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
07 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Serving Garnish
09 - 8 lemon slices
10 - Powdered sugar, optional for dusting
→ Tea
11 - 4 cups hot water
12 - 4 black tea bags (Earl Grey or English Breakfast)
13 - Honey or sugar, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix flour, softened butter, and 1/4 cup sugar until crumbly. Press evenly into the pan bottom.
02 - Bake the crust for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
03 - Whisk together eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a separate bowl.
04 - Pour the lemon mixture over the warm crust. Bake for 15 minutes until set.
05 - Allow lemon slice to cool completely. Cut into 8 bars and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
06 - Steep tea bags in hot water for 3 to 5 minutes. Sweeten with honey or sugar as preferred.
07 - Serve each lemon bar with a cup of hot tea and a lemon slice on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour, leaving you time to actually sit and enjoy it rather than stress in the kitchen.
- The citrus cuts through richness in a way that makes you reach for another slice without feeling guilty.
- There's an old-world simplicity to serving homemade bars with proper tea that feels both fancy and completely unpretentious.
02 -
- The filling needs a warm crust to set properly—pouring cold custard onto a cooled base results in a gritty, separated mess.
- Resist the urge to bake longer than 15 minutes for the filling; slight wobble means it's perfect, and it sets more as it cools.
03 -
- Use a pastry blender or two forks to combine the shortbread ingredients if your hands are warm—this keeps everything cold and creates a flakier crust.
- Zest your lemon before cutting it for juice, because halved lemons are awkward to zest and you'll waste a lot of zest clinging to the fruit.