Lemon Bars: Citrusy Fabulousness

I adore lemon bars. Lemon desserts are among my favorites: lemon meringue, lemon sorbet, lemon icebox pie, I love them all. But there's something special about lemon bars. Maybe it's because I lived in Texas for so long, I think lemon bars are more of a southern thing, but I really love them. They're sweet and tangy and flaky on the bottom, with just enough powdered sugar on the top to drift all over your lap if you happen to laugh while eating one. They're good warm and sticky, but I love them cold. When they're cold something magical happens: the lemon curd part is still sticky, but it melts in your mouth along with the flaky crust. I highly recommend that you make yourself a pan of these, stick them in the fridge and wait about half an hour, and then devour them!

Lemon Bars

adapted from the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

2/3 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 cup all purpose flour

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 teaspoon lemon zest

6-8 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

powdered sugar for dusting.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl cream butter and powdered sugar. Beat in the flour till crumbly, press the mixture evenly into a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl combine the eggs, the granulated sugar, the flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and baking powder. Beat two minutes, until smooth. Pour the filling over the baked layer (while the baked layer is still warm). Bake for 20 minutes, or until center is set and top is just starting to brown. Cool on a rack, dust with powdered sugar, store in refrigerator. Makes 2-3 dozen bars, depending on whether you like them ginormous or regular sized.