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Bakesale Betty's Lemon Bars




Source of Recipe


based on a recipe by Alice Medrich


Recipe Introduction


Charlotte Blackmer recommends these

Makes 13 by 9 pan (easily halved for 8 by 8)



Recipe Link: http://community.livejournal.com/food_snobbery/33720.html

List of Ingredients




CRUST:

2 sticks/16 TBS/8 oz unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla*
1/4 teaspoon salt

* if you have Fior di Sicilia from King Arthur Flour, substitute 1/2 teaspoon

FILLING:

6 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks**
2 scant cups sugar***
6 tablespoons (1/4 cup) flour
3 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, or equivalent lemon oil (Boyajian
or similar, not "lemon extract" from the baking aisle)
1 cup strained lemon juice (a little more won't hurt)

** if you've got extra hanging out, throw them in!
*** if you're using Meyer lemons, scant even more

Powdered/confectioner's sugar for dusting

Recipe



Preheat oven to 350 F. Line your pan with foil, enough to be able to pull the finished product out later. If you are, like me, the happy owner of a rectangular springform, you don't need foil, but spray or butter the pan (especially the sides) first.

Melt butter in suitable container (medium bowl or similar - I use my large
Pyrex containers). Remove from heat and add vanilla, sugar, flour, and
salt. Mix until just incorporated.

Spread in an even layer in pan. I make some "fork marks" to prevent over
puffing. Bake 20-30 minutes until lightly browned in the center and more browned on the edges. (Timing depends on your pan and your oven, I find.)

While the crust is baking, make the filling. (I use the same 8 cup Pyrex for both.)

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
Zest the lemons into the sugar-flour mixture.
Juice the lemons.
Combine the lemon juice and the dry ingredients, stirring well to remove any lumps.
Mix the eggs well in a seperate bowl (you can do this one or two at a time) and add to the lemon mixture.
Mix it all up well and evenly.

When the crust is ready, pull the oven rack out and pour the filling in over the warm crust. Reduce the heat to 300 F and bake 20-25 minutes, until the sides are puffed and the center no longer jiggles when the pan is tapped.

Remove (this is not necessary if you have a springform) and cool completely before dusting with sifted powdered sugar and cutting. I find that cutting is neater and the filling is less likely to develop cracks if I take a small thin knife or spatula and go around the edges with it shortly after the bars are out of the oven.

I recommend getting a plastic serrated "lettuce" knife (King Arthur Flour or cooking stores sell them) for cutting bar cookies - mine look almost professional since I got one ;). Additionally, if you love lemon bars as much as I do and see a lot of baking them in your future, save your pennies for that springform, or ask for it for Giftmas/your birthday.

These will keep well at cool room temperature for a couple of days, although you can refrigerate them if you like (Betty does).