Freezable Lemon Bars

Thursday, June 2, 2011

I love easy recipes that can be made in advance without suffering in taste or texture. These bars are perfect for summertime gatherings because they’re cool and refreshing. And, you could make them in advance, pop them in your freezer, and always have a summery dessert at your finger tips for unexpected guests or spontaneous dinner plans.

I used freshly whipped cream on my bars and popped them in the fridge since I was going to be serving them the next day. Nikki has assured me that she has tried with store-bough whipped cream with success as well. So use whatever you have on hand.

Hubby agreed with my comment that they weren’t super lemon-ey. You could obviously tell they were lemon, but I like a real punch in the face of lemon tartness in my desserts. I think next time, I’d add the zest of the lemons to the lemon layer to kick up the lemon factor.

One Year Ago: Strawberry and Blueberry Jam and Salmon with Strawberry and Tomato Salsa
Two Years Ago: Turkey Chili

Freezable Lemon Bars

Yield: 16

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 1 1/2 packages of graham crackers)
1/3 cup sugar
5 Tbsp butter, melted
3 egg yolks
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (juice from 2 lemons)
8 oz whipped cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325˚F.

In a small bowl, mix the graham crackers, sugar and butter. Press firmly into a 9 x 9 x 2-inch ungreased foil pan. In another small bowl, beat the egg yolks, condensed milk, and lemon juice on low-medium speed for one minute. Pour evenly over the crust and bake for about 30 minutes or until set.

Using two oven mitts, carefully remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, spread the whipped cream over the top.

Label a large freezer bag with the name, expiration date and direction (below). Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in the freezer bag. Freeze up to a month.

Before serving, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Cut into bars. If not freezing, this can also be kept in the fridge for several days.

Recipe as seen on Pennies on a Platter, originally from Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms

Bars and Brownies, Dessert

1 comment »

20 Responses to “Pina Colada Cupcakes”

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1

Molly — March 31, 2011 at 4:37 pm

These are so adorable! A friend once made me margarita cupcakes for a birthday, but I love the sound of all the coconut.
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2

Flavia — March 31, 2011 at 4:40 pm

I love this cupcakes week!!!!! And even Pina-colada cupcakes…..ciao, Flavia
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3

Daisy — March 31, 2011 at 4:41 pm

these look incredible! I am LOVING cupcake week!
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4

Allisonpence — March 31, 2011 at 4:42 pm

These make me crave a warm summer day.
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Megan — March 31, 2011 at 4:51 pm

This sounds like a fun, summery cupcake recipe! Love it!
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6

Rachel Marcisin — March 31, 2011 at 5:32 pm

Mmm these look awesome! But where’s the rum?
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beantownbaker — March 31, 2011 at 5:43 pm

Tell me about it! I’m not excited about the rain/snow we’re supposed to get tonight and tomorrow.
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beantownbaker — March 31, 2011 at 5:44 pm

Good point! They have the flavors of a pina colada without the alcohol. If you wanted to add some rum, I’d throw it into the filling.
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FunandFearlessinBeantown — March 31, 2011 at 6:23 pm

I’d like one of these cupcakes along with a pina colada on the beach!
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Hezzi-D — March 31, 2011 at 8:03 pm

I’ve really been into “booze” cupcake lately and yours looks fantastic! Perfect for a luau or a summer pool party!
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11

Ann — March 31, 2011 at 8:56 pm

Those are truly beautiful cupcakes! I love Pina Coladas and I love cupcakes so…
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12

Nutmeg Nanny — March 31, 2011 at 9:14 pm

These are so beautiful! Eating one of these would bring me back to Hawaii 🙂
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beantownbaker — March 31, 2011 at 9:18 pm

Ooohhh Hawaii sounds awesome right about now. I’ve never been.
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Shannon — March 31, 2011 at 9:18 pm

oh my gosh, those look adorable, and i love the flavor combo, too!!
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Mary — April 1, 2011 at 7:53 am

Very nice! May I ask how you set the background for your cupcake pics? The solid colors really bring attention to the cupcakes themselves.
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beantownbaker — April 1, 2011 at 3:47 pm

For the majority of my cupcakes, I use a piece 12×12 scrap-booking paper for my backgrounds. I have a big stack of a variety of colors and patterns.
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Mary — April 1, 2011 at 4:13 pm

Thank you 🙂 .
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Audrey — April 2, 2011 at 12:21 pm

I love the garnishes on the top, they looke exactly like little poolside drinks. I have been wanting to try a cocktail-like cake since I went to “cupcake happy hour” at Kickass Cupcakes in Davis Square. Have you ever been there? Because if you haven’t you must go and try their mojito!
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beantownbaker — April 2, 2011 at 2:56 pm

I have been to Kickass before during the Cupcake Crawl I hosted a couple years ago. In fact, we even tasted the mojito cupcake while we were there.
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Paula Kelly-Bourque — April 3, 2011 at 2:50 pm

Such creative finishing touches to a perfectly delightful cupcake.

Freezable Lemon Bars