{"id":5420,"date":"2018-07-04T09:00:59","date_gmt":"2018-07-04T15:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/villasentieri.com\/?post_type=recipe&p=5420"},"modified":"2026-09-02T10:58:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T17:58:42","slug":"zia-idas-lemon-bars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/villasentieri.com\/index.php\/2018\/07\/04\/zia-idas-lemon-bars\/","title":{"rendered":"Zia Ida’s Lemon Bars"},"content":{"rendered":"

July 4, 2018<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Happy Fourth of July!!!<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m posting this recipe today because it is one of the three desserts that I typically serve on the Fourth of July.\u00a0 The other two are Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars and Nick Maglieri\u2019s Supernatural Brownies.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Our front gate ready for the Fourth of July, 2017<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first year that these three became our traditional dessert course, one of our guests, after tasting them, commandeered the platter and started serving the other guests.\u00a0 He introduced the dessert as \u201cSex on a platter!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

That was the moment when I knew I could not make changes to the dessert course without proof that the changes would actually be an improvement rather than just different.<\/p>\n

\n

Join our mailing list<\/a> and you\u2019ll never miss a recipe again!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

The three desserts make a winning combination.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Guests arriving by van from the parking area<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year, we are not throwing our usual Fourth of July party.\u00a0 Instead, we are spending two weeks on Fire Island.<\/p>\n

For the last five and a half years, my husband, Frank, has been working in Alamogordo, New Mexico, a four-hour drive from our home in Santa Fe.\u00a0 With rare exceptions, we\u2019ve only seen each other on weekends during this time.\u00a0 The trip to Fire Island is a celebration of his last day of work in Alamogordo which was this past Friday.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Fourth of July guests<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even when not part of the Fourth of July dessert trifecta, these lemon bars get great reviews but I have to apologize a bit to Zia Ida.<\/p>\n

Zia Ida is my husband\u2019s Aunt Ida.\u00a0 Zia is the Italian word for aunt.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Zia Ida, far left, my father-in-law, and their aunt, Zia Fidalma, from Tuscany<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I still consider these to be her lemon bars even though I\u2019ve tweaked her recipe.\u00a0 I added the lemon zest as her original recipe only called for the juice.\u00a0 I think the zest adds layers of lemon flavor as the essential oils are way more lemony than the juice.\u00a0 I also like to add coconut, though it wasn\u2019t part of the original recipe and can certainly be left out.\u00a0 Since I like my lemon bars tart, I increased the lemon juice from the original 5 tablespoons.<\/p>\n

These lemon bars are not fussy to make.\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen fussy recipes that include steps like precooking the filling and diddling with the crust.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think either of those steps would improve the flavor and they\u2019d definitely increase the work involved.<\/p>\n

\"\"
More Fourth of July guests<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you have a favorite recipe for some sort of dessert bar, I\u2019d love to see it.\u00a0 In the meantime, I hope you enjoy Zia Ida\u2019s Lemon Bars.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>
\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n \n <\/div>\n

Zia Ida's Lemon Bars<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n \n
<\/div>\n
The coconut is optional. If you like your lemon bars less tart, use 5 tablespoons of lemon juice. After zesting the lemons for the crust and the lemon topping, squeeze the juice and strain well. You may need juice from an additional lemon.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n Print Recipe<\/a>\n Pin Recipe<\/a>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
Prep Time <\/span>25 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Cook Time <\/span>30 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Total Time <\/span>12 hours<\/span><\/span> hrs<\/span> 55 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Servings: <\/span>20<\/span> bars<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/g>\n\n\n\n<\/clipPath>\n<\/defs>\n<\/svg>\n<\/span> Ingredients<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/g>\n\n\n\n<\/clipPath>\n<\/defs>\n<\/svg>\n<\/span> Method<\/a>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span> Notes<\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\n

Ingredients
<\/div>