I love all things lemon! It is one of my favorite flavors, the tartness and bracing flavor is definitely preferred to chocolate for me. This lemon bar has the perfect balance between sweet and tart, and the addition of sour cream is a surprise ingredients that adds so much. One of these bars with a cup of coffee or tea in the dead of winter is a little sliver of summer!
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
5 ounces unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
Filling:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice
Garnish:
Powdered sugar
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Prepare a 9 X 13-inch baking pan by lining with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on each end to remove the bars. Spray with non-stick spray. (See Video for how to prep the pan).
Combine the flour, confectioners sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until it clumps together and only very small bits of butter remain. (Alternately, pulse in a food processor to the same consistency.) Spread evenly in the the bottom and about 1/2-inch up the side of the prepared pan, pat it down firmly. Bake until it is a very light golden brown, 13-15 minutes.
While the crust bakes, place the flour in a medium bowl, then gradually beat in the sour cream until very smooth. Add the sugar and beat well. Add the eggs and lemon juice and whisk until completely smooth. Pour the filling onto the prepared crust and bake until set, 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely.
Runa knife around the outside of the parchment, then lift the whole thing out with the parchment overhangs onto a cutting board. Cut into bars. Just before serving, dust thickly with powdered sugar.
