Lemon Bars

A few weeks ago my youngest son came home from school very excited to share something with his dad....of course I couldn't listen in because it had something to do with Mother's Day and it was TOP SECRET!  To be honest with you I had completely forgotten about it until last weekend  when Jakey kept asking his dad...."Did you get the stuff?"

So Mother's Day rolled around and there was a lot of hush hush and scampering around.  Eventually, a smallish box was handed to me along with a perfect cup of coffee.  My older son had a much larger box covered with a blanket.  I opened the smaller box to find a very odd combination of items.  Lemons, flour, confectioners sugar and salt.....hmmm....they had me stumped.  And then at the bottom of the box there was a hand written recipe for lemon bars.  Jacob had found a recipe on a website at school (they were learning how to write a recipe for a cookbook they were creating) for lemon bars and knew how much I loved them.  So he copied it down in his 3rd grade penmanship and had his dad get all the ingredients to make them.  He was so cute....asking me when we could make them.  Oh...and just in case you were wondering the big box had a Kitchen Aid mixer.

I am definitely a very spoiled and lucky Momma!

I have to say....he did a really good job not leaving out important details...well just one I guess....it didn't say how large of a baking pan.  I really needed to use a much larger pan...the filling took longer to bake and set up...but no harm no foul....they are still delish.

 

 

 

 

 

First mix together butter, sugar, and salt til light and fluffy.

 

 

 

Then mix in flour til well combined.

 

 

 

Dough will be crumbly.  Place on a well floured surface and gather into a ball.

 

 





 

Press dough into a pan.  This is where I had trouble.....I put mine in a 9x13.  Too small!  I think it really needs to be in a sheet cake pan.....or even divide the dough and make 2 smaller pans.  Pre bake the crust for 15-20 min at 350 degrees until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and allow to cool while the filling is mixed up.

 

 



Beat together eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour.

 

 



Pour into baked crust and place back in the oven for an additional 30-35 min at 350 degrees until the filling is set.

 

 

 

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.  Dust with confectioners sugar and cut.  The recipe didn't say....but I have kept mine in the refrigerator just to be safe.

 

 

 

Lemon Bars

 

crust

 

1/2 lb butter, room temp

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1/8 tsp salt

 

filling

 

6 large eggs

3 cups sugar

2 tbsp. grated lemon zest

1 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup flour

 

confectioners sugar for dusting.

 

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

 

2.  For the crust cream butter and sugar in a bowl til light and fluffy.  Add flour and salt.  Mix til well combined.

 

3.  Dump dough onto a well floured surface and gather into a ball.  With floured hands press dough into a sheet pan pressing dough 1/2 inch up the sides.

 

4.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes until lightly brown.

 

5.  Remove from oven and allow to cool while filling it made.  Leave oven on.

 

6.  For the filling whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour.   Pour over the crust and bake for 30-35 min until the filling is set.

 

7.  Allow to cool at room temp before cutting.  Dust with confectioners sugar.

 

 

I wish I could give credit for the recipe but I have no idea where he found it....but a big thank you to who ever put it out there to share.

 

 

Involve your kids in the kitchen.....create special memories!

Enjoy!