Whiskey Sour Bars
Mixology has exploded onto the scene in the world of alcoholic beverages. From the classics, to new-fangled riffs on the classics, to the sometimes outlandish spins mixologists put on their creations, mixology has become an exciting field no doubt. The skill required to become a master mixologist should not be downplayed or overlooked . The best of the bunch can ‘shake up’ an enviable offering rivaling any recipe from the best recipe developers.
I’m a traditionalist when it comes to mixed drinks. In fact, I’m not much of a cocktail girl at all, preferring an occasional beer or glass of chilled Chardonnay instead. On the occasion I do partake of a spirited drink, it undoubtedly will be a Whiskey Sour. Yes, in a world where everything from herbs to smoke are being added to cocktails, the lowly Whiskey Sour reigns supreme in my eyes. I am partial to Whiskey Sours for two nostalgic reasons. My Dad was a bourbon drinker, his bourbon of choice being Marker’s Mark. Coincidentally, Marker’s Mark hails from my home state of Kentucky. In truth, there is a third reason I drink Whiskey Sours. I LOVE them! I’m not talking about the adulterated version of the drink in which bottled sweet and sour mix is poured over ice then doused with a shot of whiskey. My taste leans towards a classier version in which lemon and lime juice is combined with simple syrup, bourbon, and egg white. GASP…egg white? Yes!
With the holidays just around the corner, anticipation of celebrating with family and friends has stirred up a festive mood in me. The other day I was taking inventory of our bar to insure it is aptly stocked for the coming parties. At the same time, ideas for my next post were floating around in the back of my mind. Sparked by the bottles of scotch, vodka, brandy, and bourbon before my eyes came the idea for these bars. I took my inspiration from a lemon bar recipe out of Baking Illustrated. The filling consists of a cooked curd that is poured atop a pre-baked cookie crust and then returned to the oven for further baking. In addition to adding lime juice and bourbon to the original recipe, I further made it my own by topping the bars with a Swiss meringue to mimic the egg white in an authentic Whiskey Sour. If your preference is to forego the meringue, a sprinkling of powdered sugar over the bars offers a suitable finale.
Bourbon brings a certain complexity to these citrus bars making them the perfect choice when a more sophisticated dessert is in order.
Whiskey Sour Bars
Crust
1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Filling
7 large egg yolks, plus 2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/3 cup bourbon whiskey, plus 3 tablespoons
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
Pinch salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into 4 pieces
Meringue
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crust: Fold two 16-inch pieces of foil lengthwise to measure 9-inches wide. Line a 9-inch square baking pan by crisscrossing the two sheets of foil, pushing them into the corners and up the sides of the pan. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.
Place the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt in a food processor and process briefly. Add the butter and process to blend, 8 to 9 seconds, then process until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second pulses. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a flat spatula, press firmly into an even layer over the entire pan bottom. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Bake the crust until golden brown, about 20 minutes. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.
Filling: In a medium nonreactive bowl, whisk together the yolks and whole eggs until combined, about 5 seconds. Add the granulated sugar and whisk until just combined, about 5 seconds. Add the lemon and lime juices, lemon and lime zests, bourbon, and salt; whisk until combined, about 5 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a medium nonreactive saucepan, add the butter pieces, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heat-resistant rubber spatula, until the curd thickens to a thin sauce-like consistency and registers 170˚ on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Immediately pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer set over a clean nonreactive bowl. Stir in the bourbon; pour the curd immediately into the warm crust.
Bake until the filling is shiny and opaque and the center barely jiggles, about 12 to 14 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the meringue.
Meringue: Fill a medium saucepan 1/4 full with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Combine the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl and place over the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Test by rubbing a small amount between your fingers.
Transfer the bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. (Alternatively, use a hand mixer.) Whisk the egg whites to stiff glossy peaks, beginning on low speed and slowly increasing to high. Add the vanilla and whisk until incorporated.
Once the bars have finished baking, remove them from the oven and place on a heat-resistant surface. Increase the oven temperature to 375˚F.
Dollop the prepared meringue by tablespoonfuls onto the curd. Gently spread the meringue to cover the entire surface of the curd, making sure the meringue touches the sides of the pan. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the surface of the meringue just begins to take on color, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven to a rack and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Remove the bars from the pan using the foil as handles, and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 2 1/4-inch squares, wiping the knife clean between cuts.
Yield: 16 Bars
Source: Bars – Adapted from Baking Illustrated | Meringue – Adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart
Gorgeous to look at. Plan to make them for Thanksgiving — a tart dessert needed to balance all those pumpkin and chocolate desserts!
I think you will like them Michael because the recipe is very similar to the lemon tart recipe we both make from Cook’s Illustrated. Please do let me know how they turn out. XX
An absolutely satisfying holiday dessert! I adore lemon bars and you have me dazzled with the addition of whiskey and meringue! BTW, I just purchased a bottle of Maker’s Mark to add to a caramel sauce for a Thanksgiving recipe….
Deb, do share that caramel recipe please!