Vegan Lemon Bars - Creamy, Delicious Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Why did the top of my lemon bars crack? ›

Don't Over-Bake.

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

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.

Underbaking: This is the most common reason for gooey lemon bars. The filling needs enough time to set, which can be tricky since oven temperatures can vary and the visual cues for doneness are subtle. Solution: Bake the bars until the filling is just set and no longer wobbles when you gently shake the pan.

White Air Bubbles on Top of Baked Lemon Bars

Do you notice air bubbles, perhaps even a white layer of air bubbles, on top of your baked lemon bars? That's completely normal. It's the air from the eggs rising to the surface. Some batches have it, some don't.

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!).

Serving, Storing, and Freezing

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.

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!

Key Tips. Don't bake in aluminum foil or directly in an aluminum pan. Aluminum will react with the acidic lemon juice and give the bars a metallic taste and can even affect the color.

Basically, its the white stuff inside the lemon. It is likely a combination of placenta, vesicle, endocarp, and possibly some mesocarp. Little tiny bits of lemon. Many commercial juice preparers will include the zest ground very fine as it has a lot of oil and flavour.

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.

How do you cut lemon bars smoothly? ›

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

Here's what you can do: Return them to the oven: Preheat your oven to the same temperature as the original baking temperature (usually 350°F). Place the undercooked lemon bars back in the oven and bake them until the custard sets. Keep an eye on them and rotate the pan every 5 minutes to ensure even baking [1].

Bake in glass: Always bake in glass pans to avoid a metallic taste. Always par-bake: For a crispy crust, thoroughly par-bake your crust until it's golden brown so that it stays crisp. Use fresh lemon juice: Always use fresh lemon juice for the absolute best flavor!

On average, there are 3 tablespoons of juice in one lemon. So, for a cup of fresh lemon juice, you would need 5 and a quarter lemons. But, because some lemons are less juicy than others, it's safe to say you'd need 5 and a half lemons for a cup of lemon juice.

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.

Why does my lemon tart crack? The most common reasons why your tart has cracked is because the oven was too hot or the tart baked too long and overbaked. We recommend pulling your lemon tart from the oven when it's still a little jiggly in the middle when the pan is gently shaken.

The oven temperature is too high

If the top crust forms and sets before the cake has finished rising, the middle will try to push through the crust as it continues to bake, causing it to crack and possibly dome.

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.

1. My cake has peaked in the middle and is cracked. This happens when a/ there's too much raising agent, b/ the cake tin's too small or c/ the oven temperature is too high.