Lemon Bars
Zesty, sweet, and buttery; lemon bars are one of my favorite desserts of all time. Luckily, they're also one of the easiest desserts to make. They're so addicting; they don't feel super heavy because of the acidity, so I always feel the urge to grab a second one. This recipe was adapted from here: https://iambaker.net/the-best-lemon-bars/. Note that compared to most other recipes, this recipe will give you an uncharacteristically thick crust, and the filling will be relatively tart. This is my preference, but you can certainly adjust if you prefer a different ratio and flavor profile.
Active Time: 30 min
Total Time: 3 hr
Ingredients
(Crust)
> 2 sticks butter
> 1/2 cup granulated sugar
> 2 cups all-purpose flour
(Filling)
> 4 eggs
> 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
> 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
> 1/2 cup lemon juice
Putting it all together:
> lemon zest
> powdered sugar
Instructions
To make the crust:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, blend together butter, flour, and sugar with your hands. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan lined with foil.
3. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden.
To make the filling:
1. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Then whisk in the sugar and flour. Add lemon juice, mix thoroughly. Pour evenly over the baked crust.
2. Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the oven.
3. Allow bars to cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
4. When ready to serve, cut into squares, dust with powdered sugar, and top with a bit of lemon zest. Enjoy!
Notes/Tips:
> Make sure that you are using room temperature ingredients! The butter in particular will be much easier to work with.
> In order to get the crust as even as possible, I like to use something like a measuring cup or other flat surface to press the crust into the pan.
> The lemon zest is obviously optional, but I find that it adds a very nice touch to the dish; an extra lemony freshness beyond the filling itself.