Martha Stewart Atlantic-Beach-Tart Bars

Martha Stewart Atlantic-Beach-Tart bars are a creamy, tangy dessert with a salty saltine crust, sweetened condensed milk and fresh lemon juice that comes together in 3 hours 30 minutes. It's an easy dessert for potlucks, summer cookouts or holiday dessert tables, and it's make-ahead friendly.

Press the saltine crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pans before baking, because a tight crust is what holds the bars together. Pack it loosely and the filling can seep under the crust and make cutting messy.

Martha swaps the usual graham crackers for crushed saltines, which gives the crust a light crunch and a salty edge against the sweet lemon filling. She also pours the filling into the crusts while they're still warm from the oven, so the bars set in just 12 to 15 minutes.

Martha Stewart Atlantic-Beach-Tart Bars

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

16

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

240

kcal

A crisp, buttery saltine crust holds a silky lemon custard that sets up firm and cool in the fridge. Chilling for at least 2 hours makes it slice into clean fingers or squares, finished with a snowy dusting of confectioners' sugar.

Ingredients

• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
  

• 7 ounces saltine crackers (about 54)
  

• 1 stick plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  

• 2 large egg yolks plus 1 large egg
  

• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (1 ¼ cups)
  

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4 to 6 lemons)
  

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  

• Confectioners' sugar, for serving
  

Directions

• Preheat and prep pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 14-by-4-inch fluted tart pans with removable bottoms with vegetable-oil cooking spray.
• Grind the saltines: Pulse 7 ounces saltine crackers in a food processor until finely ground, which should give you about 2 1/4 cups. Then add the melted butter and granulated sugar and pulse until the crumbs look like wet sand.
• Press in the crust: Divide the crumb mixture between the two pans. Press it firmly into the bottoms and up the sides so the crust holds its shape.
• Bake the crust: Bake the crusts for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. While they finish, you can get the filling ready.
• Whisk the filling: Just before the crusts come out, whisk the whole egg and 2 yolks together in a bowl. Then whisk in the condensed milk, lemon juice and salt until smooth.
• Fill and bake: Pull the baked crusts from the oven and carefully divide the filling between the pans. Return them to the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the filling is set.
• Cool completely: Move the pans to a wire rack and let them cool completely. Then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, until very cold.
• Dust and slice: Remove the bars from the pans and dust the tops with confectioners' sugar. Cut into fingers or squares and serve cold.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, Pyrex 9.5-inch glass pie plate, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make these in a baking sheet instead of tart pans?

Yes, the recipe works in one 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Spray it, then line it with parchment and leave a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Use the overhang to lift the whole slab out once it's cold and cut it into squares.

How long do these lemon bars keep in the fridge?

Store them covered in the fridge for about 3 days, since the custard filling is egg-based and needs to stay cold. Wait to dust them with confectioners' sugar until just before serving, because the sugar melts into the surface as it sits.

Can I make Atlantic Beach bars ahead of time?

They're built for it, because the bars need at least 2 hours in the fridge and can chill overnight. Bake them the day before, keep them in the pans, and slice and dust them right before your guests arrive.

Do I need a food processor to crush the saltines?

No, you can seal the crackers in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin until they're fine crumbs. Aim for about 2 1/4 cups so the butter and sugar bind them into a crust that presses together firmly.

What's the most common mistake with these bars?

Skipping the full chill is the usual problem, because warm bars look set but slice into a soft, messy filling. Give them the full 2 hours in the fridge and you'll get clean edges every time.