Lemon Bars - Easy Lemon Bar Recipe - Fifteen Spatulas (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to cutting lemon bars? ›

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

Ingredients. Recipes vary slightly, but lemon bar recipes call for lemon juice, and many suggest fresh squeezed. Other ingredients include butter, white sugar, flour, eggs, and salt. Many recipes also list confectioners sugar, also called powdered sugar, for dusting on the top after the bars are baked.

Baked goods like lemon bars are acidic enough and contain enough fat and sugar,which exclude water from bacterial use, that there is no problem keeping them at room temperature for up to 24 hours; well wrapped.

Don't Over-Bake.

If you leave them in the oven too long, it can cause your bars to crack.

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.

For an 8×8 Pan:

On one side, make three marks that are 2-inches apart and cut down. Turn the bars and make one mark in the middle, 4-inches from the edge, and cut down. You'll have eight 2×4-inch rectangles.

To Keep Powdered Sugar from Melting, Add Cornstarch

So go slow and be conservative with the amount of cornstarch you add. A good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon of cornstarch for every 1/4 cup of powdered sugar used.

– It's best to use a glass or a ceramic pan. Because if you use a metal pan, the acid will react with the lemon juice and the bars will have a slight metallic taste. – Also, make sure not to overcook the filling because it may get a rubbery texture instead of a smooth and creamy one.

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).

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.

Can bottled lemon juice be left out? ›

a half day on the counter and it may still look ok but bacteria is multiplying and I would throw it out. Lemon juice should be refrigerated or frozen . It will last for a few days in the refrigerator. Or months in the freezer.

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.)

Why are my lemon bars brown on top? Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer periodically to make sure the settings are correct. If you find that your desserts brown too quickly on the top, bake on a lower rack in your oven to prevent this from happening.

Set a timer for 5 minutes after pulling the crust from the oven to ensure it doesn't cool too much—if the shortbread is allowed to reach room temperature, the uncooked lemon curd will slip off the top and pool in the bottom of the dish, turning your lemon bars upside down (sounds bananas until it happens to you!).

I usually cool them for about 2 hours at room temperature, then stick in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until pretty chilled. I recommend serving chilled. Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Dust with confectioners' sugar and cut into squares before serving.