MY FAVORITE LEMON BARS

MY FAVORITE LEMON BARS
makes a quarter sheet pan which is 9x13

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups sugar
4 whole large eggs plus the white of 1 large egg
¾ cup fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter and powdered sugar until light and smooth. Add salt, zest, and flour. Mix til combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Pour out crumbly mixture into a greased, metal, quarter sheet pan, and evenly disperse the mixture. Using a sheet of parchment paper laid over the pan, use your hands to press the mixture together, pressing to the edges and corners to make a nice even crust. Remove parchment and throw away. Allow crust to chill for about 20 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 325. Set baked crust aside.

In a mixing bowl preferably with a pour spout, whisk together sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and zest until well-combined. To make it easier to move the lemon bars to the oven without spilling, place the small sheet pan of shortbread crust on a larger sheet pan. Pour sugary lemony liquid over the shortbread crust. Carefully move sheet pan to oven, and bake for 25-30 minutes til the center is just set and small bubbles have formed on the top of the filling. Allow to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar and cutting with a sharp knife run under cold water.