It’s funny how preparing a single recipe can often inspire a chain of additional dishes due to leftover ingredients. After baking the Raspberry Crumb Breakfast Bars for Valentine’s Day, I was left with four lemons without a use. I turned to the America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook for ideas and decided that this lemon-intensive Lemon Bar recipe would be perfect. The smooth and vibrant curd topping really makes these bars shine, and the shortbread crust is an outstanding accompaniment. Now, what to do with seven lonely egg whites?

For the crust

• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the lemon filling

• 7 large egg yolks
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (4-5 lemons)
• 1/4 cup grated lemon zest
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Make crust

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square pan by folding two 16-inch pieces of foil lengthwise to measure 9 inches wide. Fit one sheet on the bottom of the pan, pushing it into the corners and up the sides (overhang will help in removal of baked bars). Fit the second sheet in the pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray the sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

Process the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined, 3 seconds. Add the butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then process until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second pulses. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer over the entire pan bottom. Bake the crust until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Make filling

While the crust is baking, whisk the yolks and whole eggs together in medium nonreactive saucepan. Add the granulated sugar and whisk until just combined. Add the lemon juice, zest, and pinch of salt; whisk until combined.

Add the butter pieces, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes.

Immediately pour the curd through a single-mesh stainless steel strainer set over a clean non-reactive bowl. Stir in the heavy cream; pour the curd into the warm crust immediately.

Bake until the filling is shiny and opaque and the center jiggles slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes.

Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours, before removing the bars from the pan using the foil and cutting into squares. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Makes 16 bars.

Remembering how much I loved receiving sweet and edible packages during my college years, I surprised my lovely cousin Jackie (a college frosh) with homemade brownies for her 19th birthday. These way-better-than-Betty-Crocker treats come from the America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. With their high sugar content, brownies have a stubborn way of sticking to baking pans even after they’ve cooled. The Test Kitchen’s ingenious aluminum foil sling makes for super-easy removal and serving.

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 Degrees. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil then coat lightily with vegetable oil spray. Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave, stirring often, 1 to 3 minutes. Let the mixture cool slightly.

Whisk the sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until combined. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in the flour until no streaks remain.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 22 to 27 minutes.

Let cool completely on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, before removing the brownies from the pan using the foil and cutting into squares.

Makes 9 large brownies.