Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This recipe has been around for a while now. Its use of crescent rolls lead me to believe the recipe had come from the Pillsbury test kitchen, but I, instead, found it on the All Recipes site. I made the bars last weekend and because they were well received, I decided to feature them here. I did make one change to the ingredient list you see below. I used a pound of sweet dough instead of the crescent rolls that are called for in the recipe. As it happened, I had dough on hand and using crescent rolls would have meant a trip to the grocery store, so I took the line of least resistance and used what I had on hand. I'm sure the crescent rolls would also have worked well. I did want to talk a bit about the quantity of lemon that is used in this recipe. Its pretty non-specific. The lemons I use weigh about 6 ounces each. One lemon gives me 2 tablespoons of juice and 1 tablespoon of zest. If you use those super large lemons that look like they've been on steroids, I think you'll end up with bars that are unpleasantly acidic. You have been warned. This recipe is easy to follow and I think those of you who have not tried the bars might want to give it a try. Here is how the bars are made.


Lemon Cream Cheese Bars...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of All Recipes

Ingredients:
2 (8-oz.) packages refrigerated crescent roll dough, divided use
2 lemons, zested and juiced, divided
2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons white granulated sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with enough foil to cover bottom of pan and create "handles" for removing from bars from pan. Spray with cooking spray.
2) Press 1 can crescent roll dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, stretching it to reach edges.
3) Mix zest of 1-1/2 lemons and juice from 2 lemons together in a bowl. Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar into lemon zest mixture using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread over crescent roll dough layer.
4) Unroll second can of crescent roll dough and layer over cream cheese mixture, gently stretching dough to the edges. Brush melted butter over crescent roll dough layer. Mix remaining lemon zest and 3 tablespoons sugar together in a bowl. Sprinkle over butter.
5) Bake until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Lift dessert from baking dish and using foil handles transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares, leaving on foil. Return dessert to the baking dish and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Yield: 12 to 16 bars.

                    

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