Perfect Lemon bars

I know, I know, it's been a while since I last updated... but I do have a number of recipes lined up to blog about, so hopefully I'll get a couple out in the next week or so.  I have been a little busier, in part due to my wonderful new nephew, and in part due to getting a job!  I am currently working a few days a week at Barb's Pies and Pastries in Ferndale, WA.  I mostly am developing some yeast breads for her... white and wheat sandwich bread as well as some artisan breads.  It's been a great first step into the industry, and I look forward to the potential that this job has to grow and maybe even eventually look at bakery ownership.

So anyways, on to the lemon bars.  I love lemon bars, but I really like them to be more creamy rather than chewy and overbaked.  I have long searched for a recipe that could be a standby for me, and I believe I have found it in Ina Garten's lemon bar recipe.  The amazing shortbread crust is topped with a creamy lemon custard that is a perfect balance of tart and sweet (I did reduce the sugar a bit from Ina's recipe, but only by 1/4 cup or so and it came out wonderfully).

I had bought a bag of lemons at Costco, which I am generally wary of because I like to be able to feel each lemon I buy and make sure it is heavy for its size, meaning it will give a good amount of juice.  However, I decided to give in and try the Costco bag because it was so much cheaper than the grocery store, at least at this time of year.  I've got to tell you that I was very pleasantly surprised with the amount of juice I got from these lemons!  I would definitely buy them again, especially for making lemon desserts that require a lot of fresh lemon juice and zest.

To start, you make the crust using what is called the creaming method, meaning you start with room temperature butter and sugars, and mix them together for about 8 minutes using a paddle attachment.  By the end the mixture should be light and fluffy.  Then you add the dry ingredients until incorporated and press the dough into a 9"x13" glass pan.

Then the crust gets pre-baked so that it won't be soggy, but not so baked that it will become really brown in the final baking stage.  Once it's lightly golden brown, pull it out of the oven and add a mixture of lemon juice, zest, sugar, eggs and flour.  Then bake it until the filling is just set.  Be very careful not to overbake them or they will be chewy.

Finally, let them cool and then dust with powdered sugar, and you have the perfect lemon bar!  They slice very nicely, especially if you clean the knife after each slice, which I definitely don't always do, but you certainly can.


Here is the recipe...


Perfect Lemon Bars
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten
Yield: 24 bars


Crust:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1/8 t. salt


Cream butter and sugar together at medium speed using a paddle attachment for about 8 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Then add the flour and salt and mix until just combined.  Press into a greased 9"x13" baking pan.  It helps to have floured or slightly wet hands when pressing on the dough so it won't stick to you as much.  Bake the crust at 350F for 15-20 minutes, until light golden brown.  Remove from the oven but leave the oven on.


Filling:
7 eggs
2 3/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon zest (4-6 lemons)
1 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 c. flour


Whisk all ingredients together.  Pour over pre-baked crust and bake for another 30-35 minutes, until filling is just set.  Let cool to room temperature and dust with powdered sugar.  Enjoy!