Freezable Lemon Bars

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