Paula Deen's Lemon Bars

Picture from A Farm Girl's Dabbles

If I'm not eating chocolate for dessert, another favorite is lemon. Paula never lets me down and these bars were no exception. I loved the addition of powdered sugar to the crust which made it buttery and sweet. The filling was super lemony,tangy and delicious. Topped off with a healthy dose of powdered sugar,these bars are the perfect take along to your next summer outing.

Paula Deen's Lemon Bars

INGREDIENTS

for the crust:
1 c. unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. salt

for the lemon filling:
6 large eggs
3 c. sugar
4 T. grated lemon zest
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
1 c. all-purpose flour

additional powdered sugar for dusting

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9" x 13" pan with cooking spray and set aside.

To make the crust, combine the butter, flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix with a large spoon or your fingers until well combined. Shape dough into a ball and then pat evenly into your prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until set and just beginning to turn color.

Prepare the lemon filling while the crust is baking. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour mixture over the baked crust and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Although you don't want to overbake, you don't want to underbake either, as the lemon filling will not set up properly.My oven usually requires a little extra cooking time and they took 40 minutes. You want the filling set,but not too hard.

Let cool completely, then sift additional powdered sugar over the top. These keep very well on the kitchen counter for a few days, although they're really good stored in the fridge. Just take them out about 10 minutes before serving. They also freeze well.

Yield:  24 large or 48 small bars

posted by: Sallie