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

FAQs

Do Ina Garten's lemon bars need to be refrigerated? ›

Because lemon bars contain a filling similar to custard, they need to be refrigerated. If you prefer them at room temperature, pull them from the fridge 30 minutes before serving. To cut nice and clean slices, line the pan with parchment paper or foil. Then, allow the baked bars to cool completely before slicing.

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.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour in a medium bowl. Whisk in eggs, then lemon juice until smooth. Pour filling over the baked crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

The crust in most lemon bars usually starts with creaming or rubbing softened butter with a mixture of flour and sugar. Why are my lemon bars runny? Runny Lemon Bars are most likely caused from under baking. Make sure the filling no longer jiggles before taking it out of the oven.

Do lemon bars need to be refrigerated? Yes, it's best to store lemon bars in the refrigerator. To store them, simply cover them with plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge. Stored this way, your lemon bars should keep for about 1 week.

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.

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.)

Ina Garten announced that her latest book, “Be Ready When the Luck Happens,” won't be filled with recipes, but rather her life story.

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 taste eggy? ›

In most situations, if lemon bars have a slightly eggy taste, it is because they were overcooked. Make sure you only bake until the lemon layer has just set and is no longer runny.

Prepare your chef's knife for cutting by coating with cooking spray and then wiping it clean with a paper towel. This step will help prevent the knife from sticking to the bars as you cut.

Chewy shortbread crust: The best lemon bars are extra thick, soft and chewy, all made possible by the texture of the shortbread crust.

Metal can react with the acidity in the lemon juice, so to prevent a metallic taste in your lemon bars, ensure the cake tin is competely covered with parchment paper, or you can use a glass or ceramic dish too. Still line it though, as parchment paper will make it easier to take the lemon bars out once they're done.

If you have any leftover lemon bars or want to prepare them in advance, cover them tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate. They are best when consumed within 2 to 3 days, but will last up to 4 to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

How do you store lemon cake? This cake can be left at room temperature for the day, however overnight it will need to be refrigerated due to the cream cheese in the frosting.

"You can keep them on the counter but they won't last as long and will start to dry out," says Anina von Haeften, co-founder of the food delivery service Farm to the People. "On the counter, they will last about a week, and in the fridge, they can last up to a month."

The cake layers can be baked a day in advance and stored in airtight containers. But please note that the meringue can soften quickly, particularly in a humid environment. Leftovers should be stored in the fridge and eaten within 24 hours.

Pound Cake: To keep: Good at room temperature for 3-4 days, refrigerate if not eating for 4-7 days, freeze if needed beyond these timeframes.