Lemon Bars

Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper. Let about an inch of paper hang on either side, this will allow you to easily pull out the bars once they are baked and cooled. Set the pan aside.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 1 ¾ cups of flour, ⅔ cup powdered sugar, the cornstarch, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Turn the mixer on low, to avoid the flour flying everywhere, and mix until evenly combined. Add the diced cold, very cold, butter into the dry ingredients. You can use two forks, a pastry blender, or the mixer to do this. Try not to use your hands as the heat that you generate will warm up the butter, and we want cold butter. I use the mixer and it works perfectly. Cut in the butter until it resembles course crumbs the size of peas. You’ll know it is ready when you squeeze the crumbs and they hold together tightly. Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan. Pat the crumbs down using your hands into a ¼-inch thick crust. Press it into an even layer and allow the crust to come up the sides slightly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

While the crust is chilling, preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake the crust until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

In the meantime, while the crust bakes, assemble the filling. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar. Whip on high until the eggs have become thick and pale in color, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons flour, and lemon zest and whisk to combine. Stir in the lemon juice, milk and lemon liqueur if using, mix once more.

Once the crust is golden brown, remove it from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325° F. Stir the filling once again and pour it onto the warm crust. Bake until the filling is set (it doesn’t move when you jiggle the pan) about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Using the excess parchment paper as handles, pull out the lemon bars gently and place on a cutting surface. Peel off the parchment paper. Using a serrated knife cut the bars into even squares. If you wipe the knife after each cut it will make the process easier and less messy for you. Dust the bars with powdered sugar for garnish and serve immediately. Place any leftovers in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Enjoy!