When it comes to lemon bars, I'm pretty picky. Some recipes come out with a disproportionate ratio of filling to crust. Some recipes have a filling that's just too eggy for me. But this recipe for Classic Lemon Bars from Paula Deen is exactly what I expect when it comes to Lemon Bars. Creamy, refreshing lemon filling layered on top of a tender crust and a dusting of powdered sugar make this a perfect spring treat with a cup of tea...

This recipe was barely adapted from Paula Deen. If you're familiar with Paula Deen, she loves her butter, cream, sugar and all those indulgent ingredients we should take in moderation. The original recipe called for 2 cups of sugar for the filling, however cutting back 1/4 cup helped cut back on the sweetness. To me, they were perfectly balanced with sweet and tartness! What I'd like to do next is make this using other citrus juices like lime, orange, tangerine, etc.


Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
pinch of salt
2 sticks butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing

Filling:
4 eggs
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan.

Make the crust by combining the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. You may need to dip your fingers into a little flour or confectioners' sugar to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, mix the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, and lemon juice. Pour this over the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes longer. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired, when the bars are done.