Lemon Bars

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While searching for a great lemon bar recipe, I found that people are very, very, very particular about theirs.

"Can't be too sweet!"

"Can't be too tart!"

"How in tarnation can a lemon bar recipe have so much flour in the lemon curd?! Blasphemy!"

Stuff like that.

Me, I just like a good lemon bar. And frankly, now that I think of it, I don't know if I've ever had a bad one.

But I got caught up in the lemon bar drama a little, admittedly. I had to find the perfect recipe! Luckily, I came across it pretty quickly. And I'm just going to stop here and call it good. I'll call it excellent, actually.

These lemon bars are dee-licious. Indeed, they are the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The shortbread crust has just a tad of chewiness that just gives them that extra little something.

Plus, they're just so cheery! A little touch of sunshine in the midst of this dreary gray Seattle winter. Tasty sunshine.

Here's the recipe!

Lemon Bars

Recipe by Joan's on Third, posted by the LA Times

Makes 9 large lemon bars

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

For the lemony-good stuff:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons lemon juice (approx. the juice of two lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• A little more powdered sugar to dust the bars

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
   
2. In a medium bowl, mix the melted butter with the 1 cup flour and powdered sugar. Mix only until the dough comes together.
3. Press the dough into the bottom of an 8-inch square pan (Pam it if you like, I found it was okay without – but probably would have been better with!)

   

4. Bake the crust just until it starts getting golden – about 15 – 18 minutes.
5. Remove the crust from the oven, and let cool to room temperature.

   

6. Time to mix together the filling! Mix or sift together the granulated sugar, baking powder, and 2 tablespoons flour in a medium bowl.
7. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add the lemon juice.
8. Pour the egg and lemon juice into the dry ingredients, and whisk until very well combined.
9. Pour the lemon mixture onto the baked crust.

   

10. Bake about 20 – 25 minutes, until the lemon is set. It can have a little give when shaken slightly, but it shouldn't jiggle.
11. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

    

12. After they're cooled, lightly dust with powdered sugar. I just throw some powdered sugar into my sieve and shake it over the top. Don't use too much, though! I've done that, and we have inhalation (causes coughing) or exhale-related (gets powdered sugar everywhere) issues when going to take a bite. Not good!

    

13. Cut into nine bars.
14. They'll keep for up to a week if they're refrigerated, but good luck getting them to last that long!