Ingredients

  • 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 34 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 teaspoons of grated lemon zest
  • 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 6 hard-boiled egg yolks, mashed
  • 4 raw egg yolks
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 12 cup heavy cream
  • 12 lb unsalted butter
  • 3 cups blanched sliced and toasted almonds (about 10 oz.) or 3 cups hazelnuts (about 10 oz.)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Method

  • Put the flour and other dough ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  • With your hands, slowly work to mix the flour into the other ingredients, making an orange ball of dough.
  • When everything is mixed smoothly, spread dough on a lightly greased 11 x 16-inch jelly roll pan.
  • Place in the refrigerator to cool as you make the topping.
  • Get a heavy saucepan and combine sugar and lemon juice.
  • Stir over low heat until the sugar is melted.
  • Add the butter and cream, stirring, until the mixture boils.
  • Continue to stir until smooth.
  • Add the nuts of your choice, the vanilla extract, stir gently, and set aside to cool.
  • Take jelly roll pan with dough out of refrigerator and bake it in a preheated oven at 325 F for 20 minutes.
  • Remove pan from oven, spread butter crunch topping over dough, and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until top is bubbling.
  • Remove from oven, cool, and cut into 70 small bars with a greased knife.