Crust
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
Filling
- 4 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 TB grated lemon peel
- 5 TBs fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
Topping
- powdered sugar
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350° F
*IF YOU HAVE A FOOD
PROCESSOR OR BLENDER...
After peeling the rind from the lemon, place the pieces of lemon peel and the 1 1/4 cups sugar into the processor or blender. Blend together with metal chopping blade until the peel has been finely chopped and mixed well with the sugar. Sugar will turn a yellowish hue.
No food processor? No worries!
Grating the lemon rind by hand is just fine!
SET LEMON/SUGAR MIXTURE ASIDE...
Blend together: the 1 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and the 2 cups flour. Press evenly into ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan.
Bake 15-20 minutes in 350 ° oven, until golden brown.
While crust is baking...PREPARE FILLING:
Combine: the eggs, lemon peel, 1 1/4 cups sugar (or the lemon-sugar mixture), lemon juice, and the 1/4 cup flour. Blend well. When crust is golden brown, pour filling over top of baked crust.
Reduce oven temperature to 325° F and bake 25 minutes or until firm to the touch.
Allow to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into bars. Makes 24 lemon bars.
Refrigeration:
These
lemon squares need to be refrigerated after they've cooled. Always wait
until baked goods have cooled completely before covering with
plastic to avoid condensation, which results in SOGGY baked
goods! And no one likes soggy baked goods! :-)
Grating
Lemon Peel:
Always
wash the surface of the lemons (or any fruit/veggie) before cutting! After
washing and drying 2 fresh lemons, peel the rind away with
a knife or vegetable peeler, being careful NOT TO INCLUDE the white
part beneath the peel, since that part has a bitter taste! You only want
the peel closest to the surface!
Time-savers:
A
food processor really helps in this recipe! It makes the lemon rind so
fine, that it's almost imperceptible in the finished product!
AND it makes a snap out of preparing the crust, too!