Help--I've lost my lemon bar recipe

My son wants lemon bars for his b-day and I've lost the recipe. I've looked and looked and even looked on-line, but can't find it.(Cooks Illustrated has it, but I"m not a member, so I can't get it) It was called perfect lemon bars by Americas test kitchen. Great recipe--if anyone has it, would you please post it or direct me to a site that has it? I thank you and my son will thank you!

Hi Jackie, I have the "perfect lemon bars" recipe from CI; I'll post a paraphrased version for you on Friday.

Thanks so much, I'll look forward to you post!

Here's the paraphrased recipe:

PERFECT LEMON BARS

For the crust:

1 3/4 cups AP flour
2/3 confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2/4 t. salt
12 T. butter at very cool room temp, cut in 1-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter 9x13-in. pan and line with parchment paper to reach up the sides of the pan. Put first 4 ingredients in food processor and pulse; add butter, process 8-10 seconds, then pulse until it's pale yellow and like coarse meal, 3 1-second bursts (or mix dry ingredients in bowl and cut in butter by hand). Sprinkle into pan and press evenly into 1/4-inch layer on bottom and 1/2 inch up sides. Chill for 30 minutes, then bake on center oven rack until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare filling:

4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 T AP flour
2 t finely grated lemon zest
2/3 strained lemon juice
1/3 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon salt

Whisk eggs, sugar, and flour together, then stir in remaining ingredients.

Reduce oven temp to 325 F. Stir filling and pour into warm crust. Bake until filling feels firm when lightly touched, about 20 minu. Cool pan on rack until near room temp, at least 30 min. Use parchment paper to lift out and transfer to cutting board, peel paper down, and cut into bars.

Caitlin,
That's the one! Thanks so much for posting it--I know how much time and work that is. Got to go and bake!!

Ahhh...lemon bars...
My son would probably request the same thing for his b-day.

In any case, here's the recipe that I use:
http://www.recipesource.com/baked-goo...

I hope it's similiar to what you're looking for.

Incidentally, I tend to differ my bars from the traditional bars by adding 1/2 lime and 1/2 lemon juice. Some lime zest is lovely too.
I've also added toasted, ground pecans or walnuts to the base for something extra.

Upon further searching, this one would be 'it' in my book.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/rec...

if no one has it here for you, you should know that it's only $3.95 to join cooks illustrated online for a month - which would allow you to search their recipe database and get that recipe.

I'm not sure if it's the exact same recipe, but I've linked a lemon bar recipe from Cook's Illustrated's "Baking Illustrated" cookbook. Have had my eye on it for quite a while, so may make it soon myself...

PS. The website that I linked to has lots of other great cookbook recipes. Enjoy!

Link: http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipe...

Hi,
Thanks, I've found that website as well, but I'm pretty sure the pan size is off, since the recipe should be for a 9 x 13 in. pan and the amount of filling looks like it's way too much for a 9 in. pan in that recipe. I'm afraid to use that recipe since if pan size is off, maybe other measures are off as well. Any thoughts?

The recipe may have been modified for the cookbook. Based on this recipe, the filling amount sounds reasonable for a 9 in. square pan to me. The several reviews at the bottom sound very positive, so I think it's worth a try if you can't find your original recipe. Good luck.