Perfect Lemon Bars

Copyright: Cook's Illustrated

Crust:
1 3/4 c flour
2/3 c confectioner's sugar
1/4 c cornstarch
3/4 tsp salt
12 T unsalted butter, at very cool room temp., cut into 1" pieces with extra for greasing the pan.

Lemon Filling
4 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 1/3 c sugar
3 T flour
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2/3 cup lemon juice from 3-4 large lemons, strained
1/3 c whole milk
1/8 tsp. salt

Crust:

Heat middle rack of oven to 350. Lightly butter a 9X13 pan and line with parchment. Dot paper with butter and place another sheet of parchment crosswise over the first. Pulse flour, sugar,cornstarch and salt in the processor. Add butter and process to blend, 8-10 seconds, then pulseuntil resembles coarse cornmeal. Place in pan and firmly press it into place. Refrigerate 30 minutes, then bake until golden, about 20 minutes.

Filling:

Whisk eggs, sugar and flour together, then add the remaining ingredients and blend.

As the crust comes out of the oven, pour the filling onto the hot crust. Reduce the oven temp. to 325, and bake until the filling feels firm, about 20 minutes. Place on wire rack and cool 30 minutes. Lift the bars out of the pan but the crosswise parchment paper. Cut into pieces with a pizza cutter.

(Note: Freshly squeezed lime juice can be substituted for the lemon juice, and lime zest for the lemon zest.)