Lemon Bars

Ingredients

Crust

• 12 Tbsps (1½ Sticks) - Unsalted Butter
• 1 - Large lemon
• ¼ Cup - Granulated Sugar
• ½ Tsp - Kosher Salt
• 1¾ Cups - All-Purpose Flour

Filling

• 4 - Large Eggs
• 5 - Large Lemons (one is from the crust)
• 1½ Cups - Granulated Sugar
• ⅓ Cup - All-Purpose Flour
• ½ Tsp - Kosher Salt
• Powdered Sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

1. Place 12 Tbsps unsalted butter and 4 large eggs on the counter. Let both sit at room temperature until the butter is softened.

Crust

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom and all 4 sides of a 9x9-inch square baking pan with 2 sheets of parchment paper, positioning them perpendicular to each and hanging over all four sides by at least 1 inch to form a sling.
2. Finely grate the zest of 1 large lemon into the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Add ¼ cup granulated sugar and use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until fragrant.
3. Add the butter and ½ Tsp kosher salt to the bowl of butter. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula.
4. Add 1¾ cups all-purpose flour. Beat on medium speed until fine crumbs of dough form, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to the baking pan and use your hands to press into an even layer.
5. Bake until the crust is light golden-brown around the edges, 15 to 22 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling.

Filling

1. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and whisk until beaten. Finely grate the zest of 1 large lemon (about 1 tablespoon) into the bowl.
2. Juice the zested lemon plus 4 more as needed until you have ¾ cup. Add the juice, 1½ cups granulated sugar, and ½ Tsp kosher salt to the bowl of eggs. Whisk until smooth. Sift ⅓ cup all-purpose flour over the mixture and whisk until smooth and combined.
3. When the crust is ready, immediately pour in the filling while the crust is hot. Bake until the filling is just set with a slight wiggle in the center, 18 to 20 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for about 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
4. Grasping the excess parchment, lift the slab out of the baking dish and place on a cutting board. Cut into 16 pieces, dipping the knife in hot water and wiping it dry between each cut for the cleanest-looking pieces. Right before serving, place some powdered sugar in a fine-mesh strainer and generously dust over the lemon bars in an even layer.