Of Lemon Bars

I've been thinking about making Lemon Bars for some time now. There's something about the sweetness and the tang of lemon that just makes lemon squares inviting. Not mention it's yellowness just exudes happiness. So, there was only one thing to do: hop on to the store, grab some lemons and start baking. The recipe I used was from the trusty joyofbaking website. Her recipes have yet to fail me. 

I started by making the crust, which consisted of:

1/2 cup of butter

1/4 cup icing or confectioner's sugar (although, I used even less because of the next few ingredients)

1 cup all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

I first beat the sugar and the butter until it became smooth and creamy before slowly adding in the flour and salt. Once all the ingredients just comes together, I placed it a prepared square pan (20cm x 20cm) and using my fingers, I pressed it into the bottom of the pan. Then I baked it in a 350F or 177C oven (I actually rounded it off to 180C) until it was light brown on the edges. That took approximately 18 to 20 minutes. Don't forget to remove it and cool it.

I started on the filling after the crust was was done and had cooled a little. This is where the magic happens.

1 cup granulated sugar (Yes, 1 cup. I had to resist decreasing it)

2 large eggs

the juice of 2 large lemons

1 tablespoon of lemon zest (I just used the zest of the 2 lemons)

2 tablespoons of flour

I beat the sugar and the eggs until the mixture was smooth. To tell, I dipped the tip of my (clean) finger into the mixture, and rubbed the mixture on my finger with my thumb. If there's still some graininess to it, keep beating. Once it's smooth, add the lemon juice and the zest. Beat until combined. Finally, fold in the flour. Pour the filling over the crust and bake it in the same 180C/350F oven for 17-20minutes or until the filling doesn't wiggle so much when you shake the pan. Let it cool before digging in. You can cut then sprinkle icing sugar over it, or sprinkle before cutting, or (and I think this is the best) just cut and eat!

Next time, I think next time I'll try decreasing the granulated sugar. I wonder if it will change the consistency of the filling...hmm...

The only other thing I can say about this recipe is that it is so delicious. My pictures don't do it justice at all. The crust is nice and flaky. The filling is sweet and tangy, yet the crust is able to pull back the sweetness of the filling so you don't feel like you're eating a candy. So good. Try it!