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

FAQs

Can you freeze ina Garten's lemon bars? ›

Dust with powdered sugar before cutting into bars and serving. Store lemon bars in the fridge for up to 3 days (can also be frozen).

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

If you're eating your lemon bars within a day or so of baking them, you can keep them at room temperature. Just place them in an airtight container. If you need to stack them, separate layers with a sheet of parchment or waxed paper. For longer storage, it's best to keep your lemon bars refrigerated.

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.

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.)

To store lemon bars, simply place in an airtight container and seal tightly, then put them in the fridge. If you're stacking lemon bars, insert a sheet of parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. According to the USDA, lemon bars will last in the refrigerator up to 7 days.

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 crust in most lemon bars usually starts with creaming or rubbing softened butter with a mixture of flour and sugar. Instead of softened butter, I prefer to use melted butter.

Her fame may be relatively quiet — she doesn't have a line of cookware, there isn't a namesake restaurant — but make no mistake: Ina Garten is a powerhouse celeb chef. Fans know her story well: From a White House budget analyst to specialty food-store owner, her path to stardom has been slow and steady.

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!

Can lemon bars go bad? ›

The USDA says that you can safely keep lemon bars in the fridge for seven days, but The Kitchn recommends consuming the bars in three days. If you've made a whole batch just for yourself and can't finish all your lemon bars in a few days, another option is freezing them.

Serving: Lemon bars are fine to keep out at room temperature for up to 6 hours or so. Storing: Store cooked lemon bars or leftovers in the refrigerator. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store for up to 2 days. Make-Ahead: You can make lemon bars up to two days in advance.

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.

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.

I have found that a hot, wet, very sharp knife helps quite a bit. Also, make sure the bars are completely chilled before cutting.

Let lemon bars come to room temperature. Slice into individual bars. Wrap each slice in either wax paper or freezer paper or aluminum foil. Then put each wrapped slice in a freezer proof container such as a freezer bag, a resealable plastic bag or a container that can be frozen.

Cover and store leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freezing Instructions: Lemon bars can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. Cut the cooled bars (without confectioners' sugar topping) into squares, then place onto a baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour.

What is the best way to store lemon bars? Lemon bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also store them in the fridge for up to 1 week. If you want to freeze them, place them in a freezer-safe container, and they will keep for up to 3 months.

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.