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

FAQs

What is Ina Garten's best dessert? ›

And our winner is Garten's mocha chocolate icebox cake.

"So I took Tate's chocolate-chip cookies, and I added Kahlúa and cocoa powder. I made it into mocha whipped cream and then layered those and put it in the refrigerator, and, oh my God, it makes grown men weep."

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 lemon filling: Place the sugar in a large bowl. If using the lemon zest, add it to the bowl and use your fingers to work it into the sugar to release its fragrant oils. Add the flour and whisk to combine, then whisk in the eggs followed by the lemon juice.

The simplest dessert and one of the best are fruits because they are nutritious, appetizing, and easy to prepare and serve.

1. Pie. Pie earns a spot on the top of everyone's list of popular desserts merely for its delicious versatility.

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.

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.

You'll know your lemon bars are done when the center doesn't really jiggle and the edge is set. As the bars cool the filling in the middle will set.

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

Why did my lemon bars turn out runny? ›

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.

As soon as it's done, take the pan out of the oven. This will ensure that the lemon curd is baked enough so that it holds it's shape, but not overbaked – otherwise your lemon bars will be rubbery and can taste more eggy too.

Martha's preferred treats often come in the form of cookies or bars, though she also loves a good layer cake. Of course, lemon makes a number of appearances. A good portion of Martha's favorites reads like a who's who of American classics, from chocolate chip cookies and brownies, to strawberry shortcake and apple pie.

Not just any old oatmeal will do when it comes to the Barefoot Contessa. "I've had the same thing for breakfast every single day for ten years: coffee and McCann's quick-cooking Irish oatmeal," Garten told Bon Appétit in a 2017 article. And her love of the stuff is well-documented.

Steel-Cut Oatmeal. Ina Garten says she's eaten the same breakfast every day for ten years. She loves Irish oatmeal, also known as steel-cut oats. Nutritious and delicious, no one should ever doubt Ina's taste.