Happy Treat Tuesday! I can’t believe September flew by that quickly. This whole year actually seems to be rolling by pretty quickly and so far, it’s been a pretty great year. I mean—I’m already in my second Treat Tuesday of the blog and my blog is about two months old!
I first want to thank you all for visiting the site. It can be a bit scary just opening up to everyone on the internet and putting yourself out there, but the encouragement I’ve received from family, friends, and visitors just makes me smile and happy that I’m doing this.
It’s a fun creative outlet and the best part of this blog is that it gives me a reason to cook or bake for you all. This week for my Treat Tuesday special I have some lemon bars for you all.
I love lemon desserts in general. They are so refreshing and light. Sometimes desserts can be so dense and rich that you’re in the third trimester of a food baby. The lemon desserts I’ve had don’t leave me feeling weighed down.
Now let me tell you about these lemon bars because they are divine. The citrus flavor is potent enough to give a slight pucker, but the buttery shortbread crust balances that sourness well. These bars are creamy, gooey, and admittedly messy. Some think that lemon bars are a summer dessert, yet they really are perfect any time of year. Only a few desserts should be season specific (looking at you pumpkin pie)—lemon bars are exempt from being seasonal in my opinion.
Perfect for a fall picnic, a winter dinner party, a spring brunch, or a summer barbecue, these lemon bars are truly a versatile dessert.
This recipe is adapted from Ina Garten.
Lovely Lemon Bars
Ingredients
Servings: 20 squares
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
6 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (from about 4 lemons)
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit.
Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper.
In a large bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the flour and the salt and mix until well combined. Pour the dough out into the prepared dish and using your hands, press and flatten the dough into an even layer. Let the crust chill for about 20 minutes and then bake for 15 to 20, until lightly browned. Remove the crust and let it cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
In a large bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour until well combined. Pour the mixture over the chilled crust and bake for an additional 30 to 35, or until the filling is set. Let the bars cool completely.
Remove the bars from the baking dish and cut them into squares. Use a sifter to dust the bars with confectioners’ sugar.
Bon Appétit.
Did you enjoy these lovely lemon bars? Share how yours came out!