Lemon Bars make me weak in the knees. What’s not to like? Sweet, tart, buttery, bright, all the flavors a freezing cold dreary stormy Michigan day needs. I will say I am somewhat of a Lemon Bar snob. The crust needs to melt in your mouth, a buttery slightly salty shortbread, covered with a generous layer of custardy sweet and tart filling topped off with an extravagant snow storm of powdered sugar. That’s the way I like my Lemon Bars people, take it or leave it!
I also prefer to cut my Lemon Bars in smaller 2 inchish sized squares, none of this squares the size Colorado stuff! Lemon Bars are delicate, not monstrous. Take two or three if you are feeling particularly frisky! But refrain from cutting them into pizza sized squares. Thank You.
I’m not sure when my love of Lemon Bars began….I don’t really recall having them as a kid. Who know’s? But I do know this, I can eat a whole dang pan of these bars! No lie. Just like brownies. If I’m making them I need to be taking them (hey that rhymes…I’m a poet and I didn’t know it!) somewhere. Sharing is a form of self preservation, or at least an attempt to be able to get my jeans on the next day!
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Lemon Bars
approximately 24 bars
Crust:
10 tablespoons Butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Sugar
2 cups Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Filling:
4 Eggs
1 Egg Yolk
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
the Zest of 1 Lemon
1/2 cup freshly squeezed Lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
Powdered Sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Crust:
Beat butter and sugar together in mixing bowl until creamed. Gradually add in flour and salt. Mixture will be crumbly. Pour into 9×13 baking pan. Press crust down evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove and turn oven down to 350 degrees.
Filling:
Beat eggs and yolk together with sugar until fluffy and light yellow in color. Combine flour and baking powder gradually add to egg mixture, continue to beat on high drizzling in lemon juice. Add in zest give mixer a few more turns. Pour filling over hot crust. Pop back into 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until filling no longer giggles when pan is moved.
Remove, let cool, and dust heavily with powdered sugar.
Sit back and partake in a wonderful thing!
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I have a confession: I always feel a bit sad for citrus after it’s been zested. It just sits there so pathetic. “Like Oh Ma Gah she just stripped me zest clean off…I feel so naked and exposed.” I know it’s weird. If you want to leave now I would not blame you. But it’s true. I have even been caught apologizing to the poor little um…thangs.
Ok enough of my idiosyncrasies with citrus…hope you take the time to brighten up your day with Lemon Bars!
Luvya, Sheila
These look divine!!
Thank YOU! Fran how have you been? Hope 2013 is treating your family well ; ), Sheila
My mom requests these every year on Mother’s Day!
I’m guessing that you oblige her right?! Or do one of your sisters bake them? Or do you all bake them together?…that sounds like fun ; )
Hi Sheila! I love lemon bars, too! These look so yummy. You’ll have to try my lemon cake recipe. It’s totally NOT you because it comes from a box, but I’ll bet you could change that part. 🙂 I love it because it’s so easy and tastes even better the next day. And I know it in my head! You take a yellow cake mix and add a package of lemon jello and one lemon’s worth of zest, and bake. Then when it comes out, you poke holes in the top with a fork, and pour on a mixture of about 2 cups of powdered sugar and lemon juice (the consistency of maple syrup.) Serve chilled (if you can wait that long. I usually can’t. ) 🙂
Shannon, I just drooled all over my keyboard that sounds fabulous! I am no stranger to box mixes. One our favorite cake is none other than Strawberry Cake…which was the inspiration for my starting to blog! and share food…because everyone always request that cake. Thanks for sharing your Lemon cake…I may just have to put it on the blog and link back to your loverly blog ; ) Thanks for stopping by!
I am making these today!!! I live in Wyoming, a very close neighbor of yours I’m sure. 🙂 SW Grand Rapids suburbs aren’t that plentiful! These lemon bars will be the PERFECT way to welcome my Hubbs home after slaving away at the salt mines all day in this bitterly cold weather we’re having today! (Not really! He’s working, but it’s no where NEAR salt mines… just regular old work. But it *is* cold today. And I can imagine these are going to taste and smell like summer in *my* native Deep South….. )
I can’t wait to check out your blog!! Yeh so exciting. It has been frigid around these parts hasn’t it? I think it seems worse because the last couple winters have been so mild…this is winter like I remember it as a kid! Only more snow. Thanks for stopping by!
BTW, I was so inspired by the Hip Hostess apron I won last year on your blog, that I opened my own online sewing store and am starting to blog about sewing, homeschooling, and cooking our own family favorites.
Even tho I make and sell aprons, among other things, that gorgeous yellow floral apron is the one I wear when I go into the kitchen.
Thank you!
I’m a sucker for lemon bars. 🙂
I hear ya loud and clear girlfrand. Cheers to Lemon Bars…may we share one soon! xoxox
Looks just like the kind of lemon bars I’d like! I must make them this week. :))
Oh I hope you do! Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by ; D Sheila
Can you make these for me soon? PLEASE!!! Totally craving one NOW!
I think someone has a birthday coming up ; )