Ina Garten's Lemon Bars - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can you freeze ina Garten's lemon bars? ›

These are by far my favorite lemon bars. The thick layer of lemon curd really sets them apart! Its almost like a mini lemon meringue pie without the meringue and a crispy and sweet crust topped with powdered sugar. We like to add a liberal dusting of powdered sugar to ours prior to freezing them.

Reprinted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Copyright 1999 by Ina Garten, Clarkson Potter/Publisher.

The crust forms when the sugar in the lemon bar mixture caramelizes and browns during baking, creating a slightly firm, crispy layer over the bars. The top crust isn't always visible, as we all enjoy sprinkling powdered sugar on top of the bars before serving.

Lemon bars should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated in order to prevent bacterial growth or foodborne illness. The filling in lemon bars is made with eggs and can become a breeding ground for bacteria if it's kept in the danger zone (between 41 and 153 degrees F).

Yes, lemon bars freeze beautifully—they are even good frozen! To freeze the bars, let them cool completely and freeze the batch whole, covered tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, for up to three months. (The cut bars can also be frozen in a single layer.)

Underbaking: This is the most common reason for gooey lemon bars. The filling needs enough time to set, which can be tricky since oven temperatures can vary and the visual cues for doneness are subtle. Solution: Bake the bars until the filling is just set and no longer wobbles when you gently shake the pan.

The one meal Ina simply couldn't live without is roast chicken. She even cites it as one of the reasons her husband, Jeffrey, proposed marriage in 1968.

Make the filling: Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, then the lemon juice until completely combined. Pour filling over warm crust. Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles.

The sauce has garlic, thyme and lemon, and has so much flavor," Garten says. "And the whole thing takes like 5 minutes to put together... The best thing about this is that it makes the chicken and the sauce at the same time." Serve it over rice or quinoa, and the grains can absorb all of the sauce, Garten recommends.

Brown spots vary in appearance and can indicate a range of problems. Uniform spots with clear boundaries often point to fungal issues, while irregular blotches could signal bacterial infections. Spots with a yellow halo might be citrus canker, and those that look like tiny scabs could be a sign of lemon scab disease.

Why do my lemon bars smell eggy? ›

If your lemon bars have a strong eggy taste/smell, it's likely due to the lemon curd being overbaked. Be sure to take the lemon bars out of the oven as soon as they're done. Your oven may also be running a little hot.

Seeing a thin whitish foamy layer of air bubbles on top of your baked lemon bars is completely normal. It is the air bubbles created from whisking the eggs rising to the surface during baking. Lemon bars taste the same with or without that layer and a dusting of icing sugar covers it right up!

The most common reason for gooey lemon bars is they're undercooked. Be sure to bake them until the top is fully set and no longer jiggly in the middle. You'll also notice the edges will start to brown.

If they used much more lemon juice, they'd: have to bake their bars for a long time to set them up, end up with a soggy crust, and. probably have curdled edges, where the hot pan would overcook the edges while waiting for the center to firm up.

Cracks - Cracks happen a lot when either when the lemon mixture if beaten a lot or you bake your bars at too high of a temperature and take them out of the oven. The dramatic change in temperature will sometimes create these cracks. They do not affect the taste, and you can cover it with powdered sugar.

Separate bars with waxed paper between the layers. Remove as much air as possible and seal tightly. Label all packages with the name of the recipe and the date. Bar cookie, like all baked products, should be stored at 0°F or lower.

If you do put the meringue in the freezer, it can become flat or crunchy, ruining the texture of your pie. Most meringues tend to break down in the freezer, resulting in a pie with a crunchy, icy texture. You can, however, prepare and store the lemon filling and crust in the freezer for a few months.

You can freeze lemon wedges or slices, lemon zest, lemon juice, or whole lemons. Always wash fruit with soap and water or a fruit and vegetable wash before starting the prep work for freezing.

Note: You'll need 4 to 5 large lemons for the entire recipe. Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cakes can be made up to 1 day ahead of time and stored in a cake dome or airtight container at room temperature. They can also be frozen (without the final glaze) for up to 3 months.