SWEET Refreshing Therapy...

Good bye my Lover... Good bye my friend... You have been the one... You have been the one for me...

        Good Bye Summer... see you next year.

Well today I decided as a small farewell to our lovely summer and to our relaxing free Fridays we were having at the office I would make a yummy desert for the girls...

The winning choice: Lemon Bars... Delicious!!! It was just the perfect combination of sweetness and refreshing yumminess to finish what is left of our summer days.  Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen's blog.  (She's fantastic!!)

                                       

Ingredients 

                                     

Pure Delish!

Recipe:

For the crust: 
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the full-size lemon layer: 
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
[Or] for a thinner lemon layer:
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (3 to 4 lemons)
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet.
For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into the greased baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
For the lemon layer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (less if you are using the thinner topping), or about five minutes beyond the point where the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

*Baking is my therapy and being that my mind was so cluttered with too many thoughts to organize this little nighttime project was just right.*

Ella had a blast playing with all of the lemons :)

Nikki