I’m not sure if everybody knows, but the writing center is open this summer! We’re here in the loop on the 16th floor, so if you have a paper for a summer class or a creative work that you’d like feedback on, we’re here and waiting!
Now, with so few people coming to see us so far, the tutors at the UCWbL are feeling pretty lonely. I don’t know about you, but the best thing to solve loneliness is baked goods! Last Wednesday, I decided to bring in a pan of goodies, and, coincidentally, another tutor brought in a pan of apple crisp!
Well, when fate calls, you have to listen! We decided that every Wednesday would be UCWbL treat Wednesday. It’s a nice way to build rapport among tutors, and we’re all enjoying the sweet results [get it?].
We thought we would share it a step further, and share the recipes we use every week, so that all of you reading UCWbLing can have your own treat Wednesdays! This week we’re sharing the recipe for the lemon bars I made for our first week. Come back next week for a delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe courtesy of James N., and to hear about the recipe that we’ll share in 2 weeks!
Theresa B’s Lemon Bars
Ingredients that you will need:
The Crust
- 1 cup of butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
The Filling
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (either fresh or from concentrate; be warned, though- if you use concentrate, there can be a slightly bitter aftertaste)
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl (medium or large), combine the butter, sugar, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Take the dough, which should be the consistency of playdough, and press into the bottom of a 13×9 pan. Cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the bottom is firm and golden brown.
During the last 10 minutes of baking time for the crust, make the filling. Combine the four eggs with the 1 1/2 cups of white sugar, the 1/4 cup of all purpose flour, and the 1/2 lemon juice. I used a fork for this: make sure you don’t beat the mixture together too hard, you can destroy the protein structures in the eggs. When you have finished mixing, your mixture should look bright yellow and soupy.
Remove the crust from the oven, allow to cool for 3-5 minutes, and then pour in the filling. Cook for 20 minutes, remove, and allow to cool fully. Cut into squares and, if you’re fancy, use a sifter to delicately shower your lemon bars in powdered sugar. Store in the fridge.
(Recipe modified by Theresa B. from the “The Best Lemon Bars” recipe from allrecipes.com)