Lemon Bars

Spring has sprung! Well, actually, in D.C. it is more like summer has sprung. This weekend is a little cooler compared to the 90 degree days we had earlier this week; so, for the sake of the current weather conditions and this post, we'll stick to spring.

What better way to celebrate spring, abundant sunshine, and warmer temperatures than with a fresh lemon dessert? I'm definitely a chocoholic at heart, but sometimes you need to mix things up. And what better way to switch up your sweet treats than with a bright lemon bar?

These Lemon Bars are the perfect way to welcome the warmer weather. After all, the pretty yellow color and fresh lemon flavor of these bars all but scream spring. The shortbread crust is a cinch to make. Once it is baked and cooled, your kitchen will be filled with warm shortbread cookie smells. Mix up and bake the filling and your kitchen will be transformed into a deliciously, sweet smelling paradise. They really should bottle up the scent of these Lemon Bars and make them into a candle--I'd buy one, or five.

Once the bars have cooled, I dusted mine with powdered sugar. It's really just to make these bars even that much more irresistible  They will be pleasing to the nose and eyes. And as soon as you take a bite, they will be pleasing to the tongue as well. After taking a bite of these bars, you will be in springtime heaven. The crunchy shortbread crust is slightly sweet, with rich creamy butter flavors that perfectly contrast the smooth, creamy, fresh, tangy lemon filling. Good thing this recipe only makes six bars, because you will be tempted to devour the entire batch!

Lemon Bars (adapted from Dessert for Two)
(6 bars)

For the crust:
6 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar

For the filling:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, about 1 medium lemon
1 egg
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure you have a 9x5x3 inch bread loaf pan. If the pan is metal, line it with aluminum foil; if your loaf pan is glass, you do not need to line it with foil. Spray the glass pan or aluminum foil with cooking spray.

Prepare the crust by combining the cold butter, flour, and sugar. Use two knives, a pastry cutter, or your hands to mix ingredients together until you achieve a texture of coarse meal (butter should be the size of peas). Press this mixture into the bottom of your loaf pan. Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until the edges just begin to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

While the crust is cooling, prepare the filling. Add the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and egg to a mixing bowl and beat these ingredients together for about a minute, or until the mixture is frothy. Add the baking powder and flour and mix until no lumps remain. Pour this mixture on top of the cooled, baked crust. Return the lemon bars to the oven and bake for another 20-22 minutes, or until the filling is set. Remove the bars from the oven and let cool completely before cutting them. Dust cut lemon bars with powdered sugar, if desired.

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Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 265.0
Total Fat: 12.3 g
Cholesterol: 62.1 mg
Sodium: 13.5 mg
Total Carbs: 37.6 g
Fiber: 0.6 g
Sugars: 25.2 g
Protein: 2.8 g

Pros:
-Delicious, fresh, bright bars-perfect for spring
-Makes a small batch (for one or two people)
-Can easily be doubled (just use an 8x8 inch square pan to bake the bars in)
-Keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days

Cons:
-Time consuming to make (prep work, baking, and cooling time take about 1 1/2 hours)