Lemon Champagne Bars With Strawberry Brulee Topping

I got the recipe for this delicious confection from a great baking book called "The Pastry Queen". The champagne works magic on these lemon bars, giving them a luscious flavour that sets them apart from other lemon squares. The strawberry topping is the piece de resistance. Cook time does not reflect chill time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Yields: 2 dozen

Ingredients

• CRUST

• 1  cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  cups flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  fresh lemons, zest of
• 1⁄2 cup  strawberry jam (optional)

• FILLING

• 6  large  egg yolks
• 6  large eggs
• 1 3⁄4 cups sugar
• 1  cup fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄2 cup  champagne or 1⁄2 cup  brut  sparkling wine
• 3⁄4 cup  chilled unsalted butter

• BRULEE TOPPING

• 1  pint fresh strawberries, hulled
• 1⁄2 cup sugar

Directions

1. To make the crust, preheat the oven to 375°F Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl about 3 minutes, until creamy.
3. Add the flour, salt and zest. Beat just until incorporated.
4. Press the dough evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
5. Let cool about 10 minutes. Spread the jam evenly over the cooled crust.
6. Leave oven at 350°F.
7. Whisk the egg yolks for the filling with the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and champagne in a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl).
8. Cook about 15 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the mixture thickens. Cut the cold butter into bite sized pieces.
9. Whisk the butter, one piece at a time into the lemon mixture. Cook about 10 minutes longer, whisking occasionally. The mixture will be thick and puddinglike.
10. Pour the fillng over the prepared crust and bake for 10-12 minutes. Refrigerate the bars at least 2 hours over overnight. (If you are in a hurry they will get sufficiently cold after 1 hour in the freezer).
11. Slice the strawberries thinly and arrange them in a single layer over the top of the lemon filling. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over top of the berries.
12. Use a kitchen torch to melt the sugar until it is brown and crackly, or put the bars under a hot broiler for about 1 minute, until the sugar melts and browns. Watch carefully.