Diva's Darn Delicious! Lemon Bars
Ingredients
SHORTBREAD CRUST:
•
1½ cup all-purpose flour
1½ cup all-purpose flour•1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup powdered sugar•3/4 cup, plus 2 tbsps. cold butter, cut into 12 pieces
3/4 cup, plus 2 tbsps. cold butter, cut into 12 pieces•Pinch of salt
Pinch of salt LEMON FILLING:
•4 large eggs
4 large eggs•1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 ½ cups granulated sugar•1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder•3 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp flour•1 Tbsp lemon zest (1 large lemon)
1 Tbsp lemon zest (1 large lemon)•½ cup, plus 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (DO NOT use bottled juice)
½ cup, plus 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (DO NOT use bottled juice)DIRECTIONS:
1.Pre-heat oven to 360⁰. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a nice overhang on all four sides.
Pre-heat oven to 360⁰. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a nice overhang on all four sides.2.In a medium bowl, add flour and sugar and whisk together to combine.
In a medium bowl, add flour and sugar and whisk together to combine. 3.Using a pastry cutter (or fork), combine butter with flour and sugar mixing until mixture is crumbly. Pour cookie dough into your prepared pan, pressing dough down to fill all corners of the pan in an even layer.
Using a pastry cutter (or fork), combine butter with flour and sugar mixing until mixture is crumbly. Pour cookie dough into your prepared pan, pressing dough down to fill all corners of the pan in an even layer. 4.Place pan in oven and bake cookie crust for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
Place pan in oven and bake cookie crust for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top. 5.WHILE crust is baking, in a large bowl lightly whisk together flour, sugar and baking powder until combined.
WHILE crust is baking, in a large bowl lightly whisk together flour, sugar and baking powder until combined.6.Add eggs and whisk thoroughly with dry ingredients. Add lemon juice and lemon zest, blending all ingredients together thoroughly. (at this point I taste test filling to make sure that it has the sweet/zesty lemon taste that you want).
Add eggs and whisk thoroughly with dry ingredients. Add lemon juice and lemon zest, blending all ingredients together thoroughly. (at this point I taste test filling to make sure that it has the sweet/zesty lemon taste that you want).7.When cookie crust is done, remove from oven and immediately pour filling onto the cookie crust. Return to oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until lemon filling is firm. (watch this carefully so that it does not burn on top).
When cookie crust is done, remove from oven and immediately pour filling onto the cookie crust. Return to oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until lemon filling is firm. (watch this carefully so that it does not burn on top).8.Remove from oven and let cool completely. Once cooled, grab the sides of your parchment paper and lifting the bars out of the pan, place them on a wire cooling rack. Place bars in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours until firm, or overnight.
Remove from oven and let cool completely. Once cooled, grab the sides of your parchment paper and lifting the bars out of the pan, place them on a wire cooling rack. Place bars in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours until firm, or overnight.9.Once bars are chilled, cut off all four edges. Slice the bars, based on how big or small you want them. (I cut them so that I can have 4 dozen total.)
Once bars are chilled, cut off all four edges. Slice the bars, based on how big or small you want them. (I cut them so that I can have 4 dozen total.) 10. Dust bars with powdered sugar for serving. (For this I use “non-melting” powdered sugar as it will remain on the bars for a long time and not melt into the bars like regular powdered sugar.)
