Most kids like chocolate chip cookies or peanut butter cookies, but I always preferred lemon bars. I remember as a young kid, I'd go crazy to get my hands on lemon bars. Funny thing is that they are easier to bake than cookies. Here are 10 great tips for baking better bars.
The first thing I like to make sure of when baking is to follow the recipe. You have to make sure you use the same size baking dish as listed in the recipe. Try not to vary. Any variations in baking pan size will throw off baking times and will affect the texture of the lemon bars. For example, if the pan is too large the dough will dry out and the bars will be too thin. On the contrary, if the pan is too small the lemon bars will become gummy in the center or more cakey than they should be. If you follow this tip, you'll be happy with the results.
If you are worried about the bars sticking to the pan, you can line the baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil to insure easier removal later and you'll be glad you did because it's a pain trying to get some baked goods out of the pan in a pretty manner. You can also use butter to grease up the baking pan. Just be sure to use a lot of butter to grease the pan.
Everybody wants lemon bars that are pretty just like in the magazines. For bars that you can boast of and pretty enough to package up and give away, use a large sharp chef's knife to trim away the outer dry edges of the bars before cutting them, wiping the blade clean with a damp towel after each cut will help keep them pretty. Follow this tip and you'll be happy with the results.
Never use diet or whipped margarine or any product labeled "spread" in your lemon bars, the results will be awful. Like any other cookie dough, be sure once you add the flour to the batter (as well as other dry ingredients) you don't over-mix the dough. Too much handling will develop the gluten in the flour producing tough bar cookies. - 29884
The first thing I like to make sure of when baking is to follow the recipe. You have to make sure you use the same size baking dish as listed in the recipe. Try not to vary. Any variations in baking pan size will throw off baking times and will affect the texture of the lemon bars. For example, if the pan is too large the dough will dry out and the bars will be too thin. On the contrary, if the pan is too small the lemon bars will become gummy in the center or more cakey than they should be. If you follow this tip, you'll be happy with the results.
If you are worried about the bars sticking to the pan, you can line the baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil to insure easier removal later and you'll be glad you did because it's a pain trying to get some baked goods out of the pan in a pretty manner. You can also use butter to grease up the baking pan. Just be sure to use a lot of butter to grease the pan.
Everybody wants lemon bars that are pretty just like in the magazines. For bars that you can boast of and pretty enough to package up and give away, use a large sharp chef's knife to trim away the outer dry edges of the bars before cutting them, wiping the blade clean with a damp towel after each cut will help keep them pretty. Follow this tip and you'll be happy with the results.
Never use diet or whipped margarine or any product labeled "spread" in your lemon bars, the results will be awful. Like any other cookie dough, be sure once you add the flour to the batter (as well as other dry ingredients) you don't over-mix the dough. Too much handling will develop the gluten in the flour producing tough bar cookies. - 29884
