Lemon Bars

I was not a big fan of lemons growing up. My mom hardly ever cooked with them, I never ordered a dish that had lemon in it at a restaurant, and I preferred almost any other citrus in place of one. The closest I came to ever consuming lemons was lemonade, but even then I would prefer fruit punch over it. Today, though? That has completely changed. With recipes like chicken piccata, lemon chicken, and lemon pasta, what is there not to like about lemons?!

Hence I give you: Lemon Bars.

These are probably better known to be served in the summer or a nice spring day, but I figured I could use something reminiscent of those days while it is freezing here on the east coast. The lemon juice adds a subtle amount of tartness and the bars are not overly sweet either. Try these and hopefully they'll allow you to escape from this chilly weather for a bite or two!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 2 cups flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened

 

For the filling:

• 4 whole eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13 inch pan and set aside.

For the crust, mix the softened butter into the flour and powdered sugar with your hands (or a pastry blender) until it clings together.  Press the mixture in the bottom of the greased pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.

 

For the filling, beat the eggs with a hand mixer for about 5 minutes until frothy. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice.

In another bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.  Stir into the egg mixture. Pour over the baked, warm crust and bake for an additional 25 minutes.  

 

Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Enjoy!

Source: Tasty Kitchen