Do you have someone (or perhaps many) people in your life who are great at encouraging you? Those helpful souls who give you the necessary push you need now and then to go for the gusto. To take risks. To color outside of the lines. To dream the impossible dream. Oh good grief. I'd better move on before I start wailing Man of La Mancha...
I definitely have people like that in my life...but they aren't always great at encouraging GOOD behavior out of me. People like Joy. Don't get me wrong. I ADORE Joy. I love her like the little sister I never had. Sometimes I just want to reach out and cover her with virtual hugs and kisses and Dilly Bars and then gobble her up. Umm...might be best to erase that visual from your head now.
Anyway, I have this love-hate-love relationship with her because every time I flip through the pages of her cookbook, I find yet another amazingly delicious recipe that finds its way into my kitchen and shortly thereafter, onto my hips. I kid you not, there are some SERIOUSLY good eats in that book. If you don't already own it, you should pick up a copy SOON. The good food lover in you will thank you. So will the manufacturer of elastic waistbands, but hey... some things are worth having in moderation, right?
I find it sort of odd that until this recipe hit my eyeballs, I had never made a batch of lemon bars. I've eaten my weight in them throughout my lifetime, and I really love tangy, citrus loaded foods, but some other recipe always took precedence I guess. I can assure you, THAT won't happen again. These bars were so flipping easy to make and so delicious that I now need to find a way to make them just a smidge healthier. Otherwise, I may just end up making repeated batches of them and scarfing them down while watching Jillian Michaels beat the crap out of people on Biggest Loser, and then when I die in my house, my front door will have to be removed to get me out.
UGH...someone come over and remove these bars from my house immediately. Please and thank you.
- FOR THE CRUST
- 2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
- 3/4 cup (5.6 ounces) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 cups (8.8 ounces) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- generous pinch Kosher salt
- FOR LEMON FILLING
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (3 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (4 oz) lemon juice (approx. 2 lemons)
- zest of 2 lemons
- powdered sugar, for topping
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter 9 x 13 baking pan and set aside.
- TO MAKE THE CRUST
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream together softened butter and sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Stop mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add flour, extract, and salt. Mix at low speed until just combined.
- Press crust into prepared baking pan, and cook for 18-20 minutes, until light brown.
- While crust is baking, MAKE THE FILLING
- Whisk together eggs and sugar in a medium-sized bowl until smooth. Add flour, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and whisk until fully combined.
- Remove crust from oven, and pour filling over warm crust. Place lemon bars back in oven and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until center is firm to the touch.
- Cut bars into squares and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
MORE great lemon bar variations can be found here:
Bachelor Kitchen
I really need that cookbook - although maybe it would be too dangerous!! I love lemon bars and these look like perfection. I'd love to have you come and link up at Taste and Tell Thursdays!
Deborah recently posted...Fridays with Rachael Ray – Butternut Bowties
The cookbook is definitely dangerous...but with gorgeous photos and obscenely delicious desserts, it's dangerously AWESOME!
Thanks for the invite to Taste & Tell Thursdays!
Oh I love lemon bars! My family is not to keen on them so I rarely make them. These look so good with a hot cup of tea!
Raquel @ Organizedisland recently posted...Hot Chorizo & Green Chili Dip
Thanks, Raquel! Normally, I don't bake citrus desserts unless it's summer, but these were such a nice winter treat!
Joy's cookbook is on my wishlist
I made lemon bars last year that were ok, but left a bad aftertaste. Disappointing, since I love lemon bars. I can't wait to try yours!
Coleen @ TheRedheadBaker recently posted...Strawberry Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream for Spiked! Recipe Challenge
Isn't that the biggest bummer, Coleen? You get ALL excited about a recipe that turns out "ho-hum" and when you evaluate it, you realize that it's only off by 1 teaspoon of "this" or a pinch of "that".... Baking is a SCIENCE, and it sure can be a pain in the butt sometimes! LOL
Mmm...love Lemon!
Dee recently posted...Inspiration book
You are too funny:-) And the lemon bars look delicious!!! But can you send someone to my house next to remove the lemon bars I just made too?
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life recently posted...Lean Cuisine Salad Additions #BYOL #CBias
I'll get right on that, Jocelyn! Hey, if you end up blogging those lemon bars, be sure to send me the link and I'll add it to the bottom of the post. EVERYONE deserves to feel our "pain"!