Google Ina Garten's recipe. It's the best.

It sounds like you need a microplane. They're an really useful kitchen tool and so much easier than scraping your knuckles on a box grater! I have a zester as well. Both are useful, but the Microplane can definitely do more!

Here is a link that might be useful: Microplane Zester/ Grater

My Grandaughter Makayla is 10 and she just made the America's Test Kitchen version with Meyer Lemons. They were wonderful.

I like lemon, a lot, so I think the zest is absolutely a necessity.

Lemon Squares

The Crust

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup confectionersâ sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter -- (1 1/2 sticks) at
very cool room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces, plus extra for greasing pan

The Filling
4 large eggs ��" beaten lightly
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons finely grated zest ��" (from two large
lemons)
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice ��" (from 3 to 4 large
lemons), strained
1/3 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and line with one sheet parchment or wax paper. Dot paper with butter, then lay second sheet crosswise over it.

2. Pulse flour, confectionersâ sugar, cornstarch, and salt in food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade. Add butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then pulse until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second bursts. Sprinkle mixture into lined pan and press firmly with fingers into even, 1/4-inch layer over entire pan bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. (I had to bake for an additional 10 minutes to make sure the crust is really golden brown. Otherwise it will taste raw).

(If you do not have a food processor, combine the dry ingredients in a big bowl, grate frozen butter over the large hole setting of your grater over the dry ingredients, toss to combine with your fingers)

3. For the filling: Meanwhile, whisk eggs, sugar, and flour in medium bowl, then stir in lemon juice, zest, milk, and salt to blend well.

4. To finish the bars: Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Stir filling mixture to reblend; pour into warm crust. Bake until filling feels firm when touched lightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; cool to near room temperature, at least 30 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, fold paper down, and cut into serving-size bars, wiping knife or pizza cutter clean between cuts, as necessary. Sieve confectionersâ sugar over bars, if desired.

Annie

Lemon Bars were always my go-to "emergency" dessert because I always had the ingredients on hand, and as Annie pointed out, one of the kids could easily make the recipe. I used Pillsbury's "All-Time Favorite Lemon Bars" recipe.

The zest is optional - especially if you are making them with bottled lemon juice or True Lemon Crystallized Lemon Powder (reconstituted with water) and there isn't a real lemon in the house.

I keep a package of European Lemon Zest from King Arthur Flour in my freezer (see the link below). Love that stuff..... :-) I always have True Lemon (and True Lime) Crystallized Powder on hand (great examples of home food storage necessity items), and most people have bottled lemon juice on hand. But it's rare that I have a real lemon, and the European Lemon Zest is a great substitute.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: King Arthur - European Lemon Zest

I agree that the zest is optional.

If I want to use zest but don't feel like grating, I use a swivel peeler (like for peeling potatoes) to remove thin peels of the zest -- it's easy to avoid the pith that way. I then use a knife to cut the peel into shreds or minced pieces. Small pieces done this way generally won't be as fine as grated and will sometimes give a little 'texture' to your lemon bars, but I sort of like that. :O)

We love marilyn_c's lemon bars. Can't get the recipe to my phone though. Maybe she'll see this and re-post it.

Thank you all for replying.

I ended up making them without the zest and they were a hit.

I've added this Microplane 40020 Classic Zester/Grater to my Amazon wish list.

I see True Lemon has wonderful reviews on Amazon. Is it safe to assume that it has a much better taste than the Real Lemon Juice in the bottle? Friends have discouraged me from using bottled Real Lemon in place of the real thing when cooking or baking, and the real thing isn't something I keep on hand.

Sue

I use True Lemon (and True Lime) all the time, but no longer use bottled lemon juice (unless I need it for home canning). I'm sure there are many people with discerning taste who can tell the difference in side-by-side tests (a la Coke/Pepsi, real vanilla/imitation vanilla, etc.).

But then, even with "fresh" lemons there are flavor differences. Fresh-picked lemons taste entirely different than those that have been warehoused for months and cost a buck each. A dollar for a real lemon just doesn't fit my food budget and that's why I use True Lemon - a fantastic food storage staple.

Bottled lemon juice has an important place, and that place is when it is used to increase the acidity of food (tomatoes, pie filling, etc.) for home canning. The acidity level of fresh lemons is too variable to safely be used for home canning when lemon juice is called for. So everything, even bottled lemon juice, has it's place.

My sister picks fresh citrus where she lives in South Texas and sends it to us for Christmas, and that's about the only time I use fresh lemons. I save the lemon zest to make homemade lemon pepper - a favorite seasoning.

-Grainlady

Thank you. You sold me on True Lemon, and I'll just quit being concerned about those few friends with discerning tastes.