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Favorite Lemon Bars

Source of Recipe


From "Great Cookies" by Carole Walter






List of Ingredients



• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  
• 2 cups flour (spooned in and leveled)
  
• 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar (spooned in and leveled)
  
• 4 large eggs
  
• 1-3/4 cups superfine sugar
  
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  
• 1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
  
• 1 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• Sifted powdered sugar for dusting
  






Instructions



1. Position rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350° F. Invert 13- x 9-inch baking pan, then tear off an 18- x 16-inch sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and center it over the top, smoothing the surface, then press it down the sides. Remove foil, turn pan right side up, and place foil shell in pan, shaping it smoothly across bottom and snugly against sides of pan. Using pastry brush, grease bottom and sides with softened butter, taking care not to tear the foil.
   
   
2. Prepare crust: Place butter in medium saucepan and heat slowly until butter is almost melted. Cool to tepid. Sift flour and powdered sugar together. Using a fork, stir dry ingredients into tepid butter. Empty mixture into prepared pan, dividing it into about 8 portions. With palm of hand, press dough evenly across bottom. Then press edges with a fork. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, or until lightly browned around edges. Leave oven on.
   
   
3. Five minutes before crust is done baking, begin preparing topping. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat eggs on medium speed about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and gradually add sugar over 2 minutes, beating mixture until light and thickened. Add lemon juice, zest, baking powder, and salt, and beat 1 minute longer. Pour filling over top of hot crust.
   
   
4. Bake 25 to 28 minutes, or longer (top will be brown, but it also must be firm to the touch). Remove from oven and let cool 3 to 4 hours before cutting.
   
   
5. To cut into bars, lift whole dessert from pan and place on cutting board. Pull aluminum foil down on all sides until it lies flat. Using thin-bladed knife, cut into ½ x 1¾-inch bars. Remove lemon bars by lifting each with small spatula and place on a cooling rack to air-dry for several hours. When ready to serve, dust with powdered sugar. Store in an airtight container layered between sheets of wax paper for up to 5 days. (Bars may be frozen.)
   
   Makes 40 bars.