I love anything lemon flavored, and these bars—my riff on those from Kathleen’s Bake Shop Cookbook—are both sweet and tart. Do make sure and let them cool completely before cutting; otherwise, you’ll have a gooey (but delicious) mess.
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) salted butter, softened
2 ⅓ cups granulated sugar, divided
1 ½ cups plus 5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
½ cup finely chopped slivered almonds
1 tsp. grated lemon zest plus ¾ cup juice (4 lemons), divided
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Powdered sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the butter, ⅓ cup of the granulated sugar, 1½ cups of the flour, the almonds, and the lemon zest with an electric mixer until a stiff dough forms. Press the dough into the bottom of an ungreased 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and set. Remove from the oven.
2. Meanwhile, lightly whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Combine the remaining 2 cups granulated sugar and the 5 tablespoons flour in a separate bowl. Gradually stir the sugar mixture into the eggs. Stir in the lemon juice and immediately pour over the hot crust. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the lemon layer is firm to the touch. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.