Nancys Lemon Bars Recipes

THE BEST LEMON BARS

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.

FARMHOUSE LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with butter.
• For the crust: Combine the flour, butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine. Pat the crust into the prepared baking dish, leaving a small lip around the edge to hold the filling. Place in the oven and bake until slightly golden, 10 minutes.
• For the filling: In a small bowl, combine the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, sugar and salt; whisk together, then pour over the crust. Bake until the filling is firm and the crust is golden brown, 20 minutes.
• Let cool for 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator until the filling is firm and has set, 1 hour.
• Remove the lemon bars from baking dish and dust with confectioner's sugar. Cut into 16 squares. Arrange on a platter and serve.

GINA'S SIMPLE LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Dice the butter and put into a food processor with the flour, and sugar. Pulse in short intervals until the mixture is crumbly and resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add the cold egg yolk, salt and water to the mixture, this will make a pastry dough. Place the dough onto a floured surface and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator until cold.
• When the dough is cold, place on a floured surface and roll out to cover the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
• Whisk eggs together and set aside.
• In a separate bowl mix the sugar, flour and baking powder together. Add the lemon zest and juice. Mix in the eggs until well combined. Pour the mixture over the par baked crust.
• Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the center has set firmly. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. Cut into bars.
• In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together and blend with a hand mixer on low until creamy. Pipe frosting onto lemon bars.

CHEF JOHN'S LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack into middle position in oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• Place 1 cup flour and butter in a mixing bowl and mash with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Mix in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; mash mixture together until mixture looks like a slightly crumbly cookie dough.
• Moisten your fingers with a little water and press dough into bottom of prepared baking dish. Use a fork to prick holes all over the crust.
• Bake crust on center rack in the preheated oven until crust edges are barely golden brown, 22 minutes.
• Beat eggs and egg yolks together in a bowl; whisk in white sugar and 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Add lemon juice and lemon zest; whisk for 2 minutes. Pour lemon custard over crust.
• Bake on center rack until custard is set and top has a thin white sugary crust, 25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Dip knife into very hot water, run around the edge, and cut into 16 squares. Dust cookies with 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar.

NANCY'S PRAYER BARS

Steps:

• For the first layer:.
• Melt butter and cocoa together over hot water(double boiler) or in a saucepan over very low heat.
• Add powdered sugar, egg and vanilla;continue to cook for a minute or two longer over low heat.
• Set aside.
• Mix nuts,crumbs and coconut if desired and add to first mixture.
• Mix well and press into a 13x9 pan.
• Chill for about 30 minutes.
• For the second layer:.
• Melt butter, cream and vanilla.
• Add pudding mix and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and add powdered sugar.
• Blend and spread over first layer.
• For the third layer:.
• Melt Hershey's Chocolate Bar and spread carefully over the top.
• Chill for 30 minutes.
• Bring to room temperature before cutting into 2 inch squares*this helps to prevent crumbling.
• Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.Makes approx 60 bars.
• *****Cook time is actually chilling time****.

ALICE MEDRICH'S TANGY LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.
• To make the crust: Cut butter into chunks and melt it in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour and mix just until incorporated. Press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan, Bake for 25- 30 minutes, or until the crust is well browned at the edges and lightly browned in the center.
• To make topping: While the crust is baking, stir together the sugar and flour in a medium bowl until well mixed. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. When the crust is ready, turn the oven down to 300 and slide the rack out without removing the pan. Pour the filling over the hot crust.
• Bake for 20- 25 minutes, or until the topping is puffed at the edges and no longer jiggles in the center when the pan is tapped. Set on a rack to cool completely in the pan. Lift the ends of the foil liner and transfer to a cutting board. Use a long sharp knife to cut into sixteen 2 inch bars. May be stored, airtight, in the refrigerator. Lemon bars keep perfectly for about 3 days; after 3 days the crust softens but the bars still taste quite good for the remainder of a week. Do not freeze. Sieve powdered sugar over the bars just before serving.
• Equipment: 8-inch square pan, lined on the bottom and up all 4 sides with foil.