Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking pan with parchment paper very carefully today. Leave a little bit of paper hanging over the sides to help you lift the bars out later.

In a large bowl, mix two cups of flour, ½ cup sugar, and the salt together well. Cut in the cold butter cubes using a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like small crumbs.

Press the crumbly dough firmly into the bottom of your prepared pan using your clean fingers or a spoon. Bake for twenty minutes until the edges are just barely starting to turn a light golden color.

While the crust is baking, whisk the two cups of sugar and the eggs in a medium bowl. Beat them well until the mixture is light, yellow, and has a very smooth and thin texture.

Slowly whisk in the ¼ cup of flour, fresh lemon juice, and the lemon zest into the eggs. Make sure there are no white flour lumps left so the lemon filling stays perfectly silky today.

Take the hot crust out of the oven and immediately pour the lemon mixture over the warm base. Doing this while the crust is hot helps the two layers bond together very well and firmly.

Return the pan to the oven and bake for another twenty-five minutes at the same heat level. The filling should be set and not jiggly when you gently shake the pan from side to side.

Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit on a wire rack at room temperature first. Then, place it in the fridge for two hours so the lemon layer can become very firm.

Use the parchment paper handles to lift the entire block of bars out of the baking pan easily. Sift a thick layer of powdered sugar over the top to give them a beautiful white finish.

Use a sharp knife to cut the block into twenty-four even squares for your family and guests. Wipe the knife after each cut to keep the edges of your lemon bars looking neat and professional.