Savory Saturday: Lemon Bars...

As much as I love cooking dinners for my family, one of my true loves are desserts.  I love the way cream and butter and sugar come together to form something magical.  The way a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg swirled into a pool of rich, dark vanilla can dazzle almost all my senses.  Creamy puddings, crunchy crusts, and the tart taste of citrus are some of the little joys that make creating a sweet treat such a delight.  The odd thing is, I am so not a huge sweets or junk food eater.  I could care less for chocolate, and pass on most cakes and chips.  But give me a warm sticky bun or a slice of fresh berry pie, and I feel like I'm in paradise. 

My passion for making lemon bars came about quite randomly when my sister-in-law brought me one from a local sweet shoppe.  A few bites into it and I knew that there was no way our bank account could handle my love of this tart treat unless I learned how to make it myself.  A few clicks of the mouse, and a few trials later, I had mastered a lemon bar that seriously makes me collapse into the nearest chair every single time I bite into it.

Sweet and tart.  Crisp and creamy.  Perfect through and through.

The recipe for these lemon bars was found on one of my favorite websites, Smitten Kitchen.  Her recipe was adapted from one created by Ina Garten.  I like almost every recipe I've tried from Smitten Kitchen... and I consider Ina Garten one of my very dearest friends (even if she is not aware of that fact, nor have I ever met her. ahem.)  So I knew these would be a tasty treat before I cracked the first egg... not only were they tasty, I was completely blown away.  So.  good.

Lemon Bars

Crust

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Lemon Layer

4 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (3 to 4 lemons)

2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2/3 cup flour

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into the greased baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the lemon layer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (less if you are using the thinner topping), or about five minutes beyond the point where the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into squares and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

So scrumdidlyumptious... I could hardly keep my hands off of them, even though I made them to give to other people!  Best when chilled over night in the fridge... and should be consumed within a few days, lest I come to your house and eat them all up while you sleep.

*A ginormous 5-pound bag of lemons can be purchased at Costco for only $4.50!  I can get several batches of lemon bars and lemon cookies from that bag.  I like to save the halves in a plastic bag in the fridge after I have zested and squeezed the dickens out of them... then every few days I grate a couple of them up in my garbage disposal to clean it out and leave a fresh and clean scent in the air!  Mmmm... not only does it smell great, it stretches the dollar and is good for the Earth, too!  No nasty chemicals! :)

*I find that these taste better the day after I make them.  I keep them in the fridge overnight and cut them the next day using a pizza cutter and then scoop them out with a pie spatula thing.  I also cut not right on the edge, but a smidge in so that everything comes out easily and all the sides are clean and even.

*I ruined my first batch of these by baking them on a non-stick pan.  When I tried to take them out, I practically needed a jig saw and a chisel.  But I did finally get them out.  The bars along with a pound of Teflon.  Now I bake them in a large glass Emile Henry lasagna pan.  And I grease the pan up... liberally.  These things stick like crazy, and I grease the pan up more and more each time I make them.  

*I always leave my eggs and butter out overnight on the counter.  It makes them just the right temperature and consistency for mixing.