Lemon Squares

Crust:

12 oz. butter, room temperature

1 ½ C flour

1 C powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

Filling:

3 C sugar

6 eggs

2 t vanilla

2 t lemon extract

Juice from 6 lemons

Zest, chopped fine from 3 lemons

Heat the oven to 375

Butter or oil a 9×9 pan

For the crust combine the butter, flour, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Moosh together with your fingers, it’s ok if it’s crumbly. Pour it into the prepared pan and press evenly all over the pan and a ½-inch up the side (this makes it easier for you to get it out of the pan).

Place the pan in the oven and bake about 20-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

While the crust bakes make the filling. In a medium bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, extracts, and juice. If you’d like to try and get a touch of sugary crust on top, beat on high with a wire whisk until light and fluffy and frothy. Whisk in the zest.

Once the crust has baked, remove it from the oven and gently and carefully pour the filling over the crust, return to the oven and bake an additional 20-30 minutes or until the filling only jiggles a bit when you jostle the pan. Don’t overbake because the filling is primarily egg based and when you over bake eggs the filling will become watery as it cools.

Allow the lemon bars to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Makes 12 lemon bars.