Lemon Bars

Blogging about baking yummy confections has definitely got its perks. For instance, there are always sweet goods around my house, which means coming home from a full day of classes and work is extra nice. However, I thought it would be hard. I thought I would eventually run out of recipes to make. Well, I was wrong. In fact I have so far accumulated a long list of recipes I want to try, an array of different things, bars, cakes, muffins. All the time I've spent searching for that perfect lemon bar recipe, which I will tell you about soon,and countless others, I've realized something: that my main meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) have gone down the wayside. I've grown accustomed to making big batches of stews or chili and then eating them for 2 weeks though I'll throw in the occasional omelet or sandwich to keep things from getting too predictable. More attention needs to be given to that part of my diet, for sure, but that doesn't mean I'll have to focus less on dessert-I'll just have to find a balance.
As a request I am paying return to (my dad's), I made lemon bars. There are so many recipes out there, so I basically found a bunch, closed my eyes, and picked one. This one happens to be from a fellow baking blogger, Cookie Madness.

I have baked lemon bars before and there are a couple things I noticed each time I made them, including this time. They always have unattractive white splotches across the tops. I guess they always have that ominous powdered sugar dusted topping for a reason. If you must hide your dessert's imperfections, by all means, do it.

I will keep this recipe and use it again, for sure. I was presently surprised to see that the filling had not seeped into the crust when I pulled it out of the oven. The filling had the right tartness although I would even add more lemon juice than the recipe calls for. The crust was buttery and flaky, simply perfect.I recommend waiting until the bars are completely cooled to cut them as so they don't crumble.

Also, wait until they are cool to dust them with sugar. However, the powdered sugar never seems to linger very long. Just long enough for me to take some photographs and the sugar accomplishes a disappearing act. (can anyone tell me how to make the powdered sugar stay a little longer?)
As adapted by Cookie Madness
RECIPE:
Crust:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (114 grams)
1/3 cup powdered sugar — plus extra for garnishing
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/8 teaspoon salt (just use ¼ tsp plus an extra pinch)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Filling:
2 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons half & half (tbsp marg + enough milk)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Don’t preheat oven quite yet. Line an 8 inch square metal pan with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray
Pulse flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt in food processor. Add butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then pulse until coarse. Pour what will seem like a very *dry* mixture into lined pan and press over pan bottom. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. While it chills, you can make the filling.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. When oven is preheated, bake the pre-chilled crust (above) for 18-20 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned.
Filling: Lightly beat the eggs, sugar, and flour together in a bowl. I used a fork. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, half and half, and salt and mix well.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Stir filling again, then pour filling over **warm** crust. Bake for 20 minutes or until filling no longer appears wet and shaky.
Set on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Lift from pan, place on cutting board, dust with extra powdered sugar and cut into bars.
Cut into a dozen squares
Note: if you don't have half and half add enough milk to one tablespoon margarine or butter to get one cup. I don't have a food processor so I mixed the flour, sugar, and butter with a metal whisk.