These are a classic from almost every recipe book, site and bake sale. They happen to be one of my most favorite bars and amazingly enough, I didn't know they existed until I was about 18 years old!My Mom did a little bit of baking as I was growing up but she didn't have a large repertoire and she didn't like lemon so she never made these. When it came to bars of my childhood we had two; brownies and once in a great while after I was a teenager, blondies (chocolate chip cookies made into bars basically). I tasted 'new' foods at the 'punch and cookie' receptions at my elementary school after our music concerts and plays and at church pot lucks.
I had these bars when I was 18 years old. I fell in love instantly and made them off and on over the years ever since. Personally I like the crust so I used to pat this in a smaller pan so the crust would be thicker, as well as the bar. The 9X13 is standard and makes a nice standard bar.
Lemon Squares
3/4 c butter
1/3 c powedered sugar
1 1/2 c flour
1 large lemon, juice and zest
3 eggs
1 1/2 c white granulated sugar
3 T flour
Mix butter, powedered sugar, 1 1/2 c flour, and half of the lemon zest together until crumbly. Press into a baking pan (9X13) pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350.
While the crust is baking; Mix lemon juice and the rest of the reserved lemon zest with 3 beaten eggs, granulated sugar, and 3 T flour. Pour over hot crust. Put back in the oven and bake another 20 minutes at 350. Remove from oven, let cool and sprinkle more powdered sugar on top for dusting.
