A Summer Treat

I'm a big fan of lemon. Lemonade, lemon pie, lemon candies, lemon TARTS. My ultimate Summer treat is a lemonade from Craig's Hot Dog on a Stick on the Redondo Beach Pier. It tastes the best after a long beach bike ride and I pull in there on my last stop. So any time I indulge in something yummy and lemony, I am transported to that spot.
Fortunately, we have a lemon tree in our backyard that happens to be doing quite well this year. Lemon chicken, lemon salmon, lots of pitchers of lemonade, and now-- lemon tarts. I had forgotten that lemon tarts are just about the easiest treat you can make. Box mixes, be gone! We have no need for you here. Plenty tart, yet perfectly sweet. These are the perfect Summer treat. Take them to to a picnic, enjoy after lunch. They are lovely.


INGREDIENTS
Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Filling:
2 large eggs
1 cup superfine (baker’s) sugar (or regular sugar after a few whirls in the food processor)
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.

2. To make the crust, combine flour, powdered sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add butter and pulse until the mixture is pebbly. Press evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake until lightly golden, about 18-20 minutes. Set aside.

3. To make the filling, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Whisk in lemon zest and juice until well combined. Pour over crust (it’s okay if crust is still hot). Bake until filling is just set, about 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Makes an 8 inch square pan. Or put it in a smaller pan for a thicker bar- that's what I did.