THE BEST LEMON BARS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
• Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. For a festive tray, make another pan using limes instead of lemons and adding a drop of green food coloring to give a very pale green. After both pans have cooled, cut into uniform 2 inch squares and arrange in a checker board fashion.

Steps:

• Make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch or 9-by-9-inch baking pan, preferably nonstick.
• In a stand mixer or food processor, combine crust ingredients. Mix or pulse until well combined and moist clumps form. Using your hands, press mixture evenly but gently into prepared pan.
• Bake crust until edges and top are light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate once for even browning.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth.
• Pour filling over hot parbaked crust and return to the oven. Bake until filling is almost set, about 20 minutes more. (Thicker squares, baked in the 9-by-9-inch pan, will take longer.) Start checking after 15 minutes; when you give the pan a gentle shake, filling should be lightly set all over and still quivery in the very center.
• Let lemon bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle the top lightly and evenly with confectioners' sugar.
• Cut into squares, diamonds or rectangles and remove from pan. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. If desired, sprinkle again with confectioners' sugar just before serving.