Lemon Bars

Ina Garten's recipes are always delicious.  If you like intense lemon flavor, these are the lemon bars for you.  The filling is almost the consistency of a lemon meringue pie filling.  Amish butter was used to make this batch and you could certainly taste the difference in consistency and richness of flavor.

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 filling:

6 extra-large eggs at room temperature

3 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

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

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 a 9 x 13 x 2-inch 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 filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crustand bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set.  Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles or squares and dust with confectioners' sugar.