Background Info
I’m a big fan of all things lemon. Like Sansa Stark from Game of Thrones. Unlike Sansa, I decided to try and make my favorite lemon dessert myself. Lemon bars. (I’m still upset about the last season of Game of Thrones if you can’t tell.) Anyway, I went looking for a lemon bar recipe. My mom had one from my grandma that I had never tried before! That was surprising to say the least, I used to hang out at my grandma’s at least once a week.
If I had to guess, it’s probably because my grandma was getting older. Kneading dough can be tiresome, and she had plenty of other desserts we loved (coincidentally those are the easiest recipes too). However, if you are under the age of 80 there is still plenty of power left in those forearms. I get a sense of accomplishment when I make a recipe that is more hands on. This one sure is.
Making The Lemon Bars Tips
First, and probably most important thing, grease your pan! Grease it really good! You don’t want your lemon bars sticking to the pan. They are delicate and it makes it harder to cut those nice squares. Also, try not to refrigerate the lemon bars before you cut and serve them. I learned this the hard way. At a cousins’ get together no less! If you make the lemon bars cold, they stick to the pan.
Second, sift when it tells you to. I’ll be honest, I’ve skipped that a lot. However, if you are trying to impress someone, sifting the ingredients does make a noticeable difference. If you don’t sift, the lemon custard can be a little runny. Also, use a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. The recipe assumes that is the pan you are using. If you use a different one, your ratio of crust to custard will be off.
Lemon Bars
Equipment
- 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan
Ingredients
The Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 2 sticks margarine or 1 cup
- ½ cup confectioner's sugar sifted
The Custard
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour sifted
- ½ tsp baking powder sifted
Instructions
The Crust
- Sift flour and confectioner sugar into a mixing bowl. Cut in margarine in small pieces until mixture clings together. Might have to use your hands.
- Smooth into the bottom of a greased and floured 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan.
- Bake at 350 F for 20 – 25 minutes, or until light brown.
The Custard
- While the crust is baking, beat 4 eggs in a bowl. Add in the other custard ingredients. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Take the pan out of the oven and pour the custard on top. Put it back in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Sprinkle with confectioner sugar on top, let it cool on the countertop, then cut into squares and serve when ready.
Leave a Reply