Spring Is In The Air | Lemon Bars

These have been on the "must try" list for quite some time, and I am kicking myself for not making them sooner. I would definitely say on the record that these are the best Lemon Bars I have tasted to date [and I have tried lots of lemon bars]. I was however afraid that they were going to be too tangy, so I added the juice of two limes; and I must say that I love the contrast. The lime tones down that "bite" that you may experience when you eat very "lemon-y" lemon bars. - I also used a bigger pan, because I don't like thick lemon bars; as you can see the lemon layer is about the same thickness as the crust, I enjoy the 1:1 ratio a lot better.

The recipe was adapted from Ina Garten who I feel can do no wrong; every recipe I have tried [except for the lasagna; eeek], has been a winner. Because of the high calorie content, I cut the bars into bite size pieces to somewhat control my portions [we will see how that goes]. I purchased those large candy cups at my local Bakery Supply store.

Lemon Bars [Adapted from Ina Garten]
Crust
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For The Filling

6 extra large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Juice from 2 limes
1 cup flour
Confectioners sugar for dusting


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

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 a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill for 15minutes.

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

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature. Cut into triangles or squares and dust with confectioners' sugar.