Finally Lemon Bars That I Love Food

LEMON BARS RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 or an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the crust by creaming the butter with a hand or a stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment) until smooth. Add powdered sugar, flour, and salt and mix slowly until the mixture is crumbly but sticks together when you press it between your fingers. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 13 minutes, or until it just starts to get a light golden brown around the edges.
• While the crust is baking, whisk the eggs until beaten. Whisk in the sugar, lemon zest, salt, and lemon juice. Pour over hot crust, then continue to bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the mixture is no longer liquid in the center and it's lightly golden brown on top.
• Cool completely before removing from pan. Remove foil, then dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve, dusting with more powdered sugar as desired.

ZESTY LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center of oven. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• To make crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt; process to combine. Add butter to processor and process until mixture is pale yellow and resembles a coarse meal, about 10 seconds. If you don't have a food processor, whisk together flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and work into flour mixture using a pastry blender or your fingers.
• Pour crust mixture into prepared baking dish, pressing down with your fingers to create a 1/4-inch-thick layer along the bottom and 1/2-inch up the sides, pressing firmly at the edges to seal. Transfer pan to freezer and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to oven and bake, rotating pan once during baking, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and flour; stir in lemon juice, milk, and salt until well combined.
• Remove baking pan from oven. Stir topping and pour into warm crust. Return pan to oven and continue baking until topping is just set but not browned, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer baking pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into 20 squares. Serve immediately or wrap each bar tightly with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

FINALLY! LEMON BARS THAT I LOVE!

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13" x 9" baking pan with foil extending it over the sides a little. Lightly spray foil with butter-flavored cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. I use a whisk. With pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. When that gets frustrating, just keep pinching the butter and tossing to coat. Sprinkle dough evenly into bottom of pan. Level, brushing with your hand lightly, then pat dough firmly onto bottom. Bake 15-17 minutes until lightly browned. Meanwhile, in large mixer, beat eggs on high speed until thick and lemon-colored, about 3-4 minutes. (Use whisk attachment.)Reduce speed to low, add lemon juice, sugar, baking powder, salt, and remaining 3 Tbl. flour. Beat (with paddle attachment), until blended, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occaisionally. Pour filling over warm crust. Bake 15 minutes, or until filling is just set and golden around the edges. Transfer pan to wire rack. Sift powdered sugar on top over warm filling. I use a LOT. (At least a 1/4 cup or more til well coated.) Cool completely in pan on wire rack. When cool, lift out holding on to foil, and transfer whole thing to a cutting board or surface. When cool, cut into bars. Makes 24-36 bars.

CREAMY LEMON SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter paper.
• Make crust: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add flour, and mix on low just until combined. Press dough into the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan; prick all over with a fork. Bake until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Make filling: In a large bowl, whisk together yolks, condensed milk, and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over hot crust in pan; return to oven, and bake until filling is set, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
• Refrigerate until filling is firm, about 2 hours or up to 3 days. Using paper overhang, lift cake onto a work surface; cut into 16 squares, and dust with confectioners sugar.

FINALLY! LEMON BARS THAT I LOVE!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a 13" x 9" baking pan with foil extending it over the sides a little. Lightly spray foil with butter-flavored cooking spray.
• In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. I use a whisk.
• With pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Sprinkle dough evenly into bottom of pan. Level, brushing with your hand lightly, then pat dough firmly into bottom.
• Bake 15-17 minutes until lightly browned.
• Meanwhile, in large mixer, beat eggs on high speed until thick and lemon-colored, about 3-4 minutes.
• Reduce speed to low, add lemon juice, sugar, baking powder, salt, and remaining 3 Tbl. flour.
• Beat until blended, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occaisionally.
• Pour filling over warm crust.
• Bake 15 minutes, or until filling is just set and golden around the edges.
• Transfer pan to wire rack.
• Sift powdered sugar (1 Tbl.-1/4 cup) on top over warm filling.
• Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
• When cool, lift out holding on to foil, and transfer whole thing to a cutting board or surface.
• When cool, cut into bars.
• Makes 24-36 bars.

TANGY LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Line an 8" or 9" square pan with a sheet of aluminum foil extending 2' beyond 2 sides of the pan.
• Grate 1 tsp of the yellow zest from a lemon and squeeze 3 tbs. juice.
• Beat butter, salt, 1/2 tsp lemon zest and 1/4 cup sugar until creamy.
• On low speed, beat in flour until crumbly.
• Beat in about 1 tbs lemon juice until dough just holds together.
• Press dough into bottom of prepared pan.
• Refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350°.
• Bake crust until golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Beat cheese with 2/3 cup sugar until smooth.
• Beat in eggs, 1/2 tsp lemon zest and 2 tbs. lemon juice.
• Pour over crust.
• Bake until cheesecake is firm and top puffs, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• Refrigerate until cold.
• Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before cutting.
• Lift cheesecake out of pan using foil as handles.
• Cut into triangles.