Perfectly simply lemon bars

Lemon bars are easy to make a perfect thing to bring to picnics and backyard parties.

To me the best lemon bar must consist of a tender, buttery crust and a soft, intensely lemony filling. One other thing … it must be simple to make. In this week’s USA Weekend video, we demonstrate our perfect recipe for these irresistible sweet treats.

With picnics and backyard parties coming up, keep this recipe in your back pocket. It’s a simple and delicious dessert to serve up at your place or pack and bring to a friend’s.

To see a video of Pam making lemon bars, click here.

Perfectly Simple Lemon Bars
Makes 16 small bars

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted but not hot
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons juice and 2 teaspoon finely grated zest from 1 to 2 lemons

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Spray an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Fit an 8-inch by 16-inch piece of heavy-duty foil across pan bottom and up the 2 sides as foil overhangs to pull bars from the pan. Spray foil with vegetable cooking spray.

Mix flour, salt, confectioner’s sugar in a medium bowl; stir in butter to form dough. Press dough into pan bottom (the bottom of a measuring cup dipped in flour helps). Bake until pale golden, about 20 minutes.

While pastry bakes, whisk eggs, sugar, flour, lemon juice, and zest in a medium bowl.

Remove pan from oven. Add lemon mixture and continue to bake until just set, about 20 minutes longer; let cool in pan for a few minutes and then using foil handles, pull bars from pan and set on a wire rack. Cool until room temperature. Cut into squares and serve.

Pam Anderson blogs with her two daughters at Three Many Cooks.

Related post: Lime Bars

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