Lemon Bar Goodness

I have been searching and searching for the perfect lemon bar recipe.  I love me some lemon bars.  It is such the perfect combination of sweet with a little zing.  I made a batch the other day, and we literally couldn't get them out of the pan.  Sigh.  FAIL!  However, I wandered across a recipe in my box the other day, and I decided to give it a whirl.  Now, I did make a few adjustments.  I like to actually taste the lemon in my lemon bars, and I like them just a little gooey.  Sound like you? Then this recipe is for you, my friend.

First you take the butter and make it slightly soft.  You don't want it to be melted, but you also don't want to struggle when you cut it in.  Think pie crust, but a bit easier to work with.  I stick mine in the microwave for about 11 seconds.  Seems to do the trick.  Next you are going to add your flour and powdered sugar, and mix it all together.  It will resemble a flakey pie crust.  I add a small amount of water to make it a bit easier to work with.  Smash it all into the bottom of a greased 9X9 pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes.

While you are waiting for the goodness to bake, get the lemon mixture ready.  I can't express how great the difference is between lemon juice and fresh lemons.  If you have a fresh lemon hanging around the house, definitely use it.  Mix together your flour, sugar and baking powder first.  Next, add your lemon juice.

Mmmmmm….can you begin to smell that sweet goodness in the oven?  Take it out of the oven and let it cool for 3-5minutes.  I like to keep my crust soft and chewy, and if you wait until it is too cool to add the lemon topping, it will be a little bit hard.  Add the lemon mixture to the top of the crust and toss it in the oven for another 20 minutes.

 Watch it as it bakes.  You only want the sides to be slightly browned.

This next step is what makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE with lemon bars.  Squeeze the remaining juice from the lemon.  I got about 1 tablespoon from mine.  Now add some powdered sugar to it and mix.  I used roughly 1/3 cup of the powdered sugar to mine, but you may use more or less depending on how much juice your lemon blessed you with.  You want the mixture runny.  It needs to easily slip from your spoon, but don't make it so runny that it resembles water.

When you bars emerge from the oven, take the lemon glaze and just spoon it in little swirls over the top of the bars.  This will give you that lemon kick that you have been craving.

When the bars have cooled, sprinkle them with some powdered sugar and enjoy.  Good luck with these little square of Heaven.  I ate half my pan in two days!  Oopsie…

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup of slightly softened butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp cold water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbs flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 Tbs lemon juice (fresh)
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• lemon juice and powdered sugar to make glaze

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together butter, flour, and powdered sugar and mix together well.  Add cold water and form a dough.  Spread into the bottom of greased baking 9X9 pan.
2. Bake for 14 minutes at 350 degrees.
3. Mix together sugar, flour and baking powder.
4. Add in beaten eggs, and fresh lemon juice.
5. Pour over crust and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
6. Mix together left over lemon juice with powdered sugar to make glaze.  Drizzle over the lemon bars and let cool.
7. Once bars are cool sprinkle with powdered sugar, cut, and serve.