{"id":1102292,"date":"2020-12-17T00:00:33","date_gmt":"2020-12-17T06:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/origin-www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=1102292"},"modified":"2023-10-17T15:43:51","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T20:43:51","slug":"how-to-cut-dessert-bars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/how-to-cut-dessert-bars\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Cut Dessert Bars the Right Way"},"content":{"rendered":"[dam-video dam-id=\"24735\"]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nWhether it\u2019s for a holiday dinner, potluck or bake sale, dessert bars are a crowd-pleasing dessert option for nearly every occasion. You can go classic with fudge brownies<\/a> and snickerdoodle bars<\/a>, or dazzle taste buds with blueberry lattice bar<\/a>s and pistachio-cherry s\u2019more bars. Either way, these convenient treats can be packed up right in their baking pan and brought to the festivities without risking total transport disaster.\r\n\r\nBut as easy as this on-the-go confection is, dessert bars aren\u2019t always the prettiest treat on the dessert table. (Especially when one of these gorgeous cakes<\/a> are on the table!) Luckily, Taste Recipes\u2019s<\/em> Test Kitchen experts have the answer: perfectly sliced dessert bars. It might not seem the most exciting, but clean-cut bars look\u00a0professional and will\u00a0ensure every slice is as even as the next.\r\n\r\nKeep reading to learn our Test Kitchen\u2019s preferred cutting methods and more must-have baking tips.\r\n\r\nPsst<\/em>: Here\u2019s how to fix the most common baking problems<\/a>.\r\n

Before You Bake<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\nPrevent your dessert bars from sticking to their pan by properly preparing and greasing the pan. First, line your baking pan with two layers of parchment paper. For your first layer, you'll want the parchment paper to reach up the sides of the pan, so cut the paper a little long. Then, layer the parchment paper with one piece going lengthwise along the pan and the other going widthwise.\r\n\r\nNext, grease the parchment paper with shortening, butter or cooking spray. While this might feel frivolous given the parchment paper, trust us when we say it will help ensure not a crumb of your dessert bars will get left behind.\r\n\r\nOnce the pan has been prepped, fill it with your dessert bar batter and bake as directed. Here are some of our absolute favorite dessert bar recipes<\/a> for inspiration.\r\n

Our Secret Weapon for Cutting Bars<\/h2>\r\nRather than a standard kitchen knife Taste Recipes\u2019s<\/em> Test Kitchen turns to a bench scraper<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>to cut dessert bars. If you\u2019re unfamiliar, a bench scraper is a super-tool made of thin metal that can be used to divide doughs, chop veg, cut pasta and scrape bits and pieces off your counters and pans.\r\n\r\nThis tool is especially helpful when cutting dessert bars as the long edge of the scraper gives you more control over your cuts than a knife would. Plus, a scraper gives you control to use an up\/down cutting motion, rather than the dragging of a knife, meaning your edges won\u2019t be full of crumbs and loose chunks.\r\n\r\nThe Test Kitchen\u2019s go-to brand is Norpro<\/a>, whose stainless steel scraper comes with measurements right on the side so you measure each piece out before you cut.\r\n\r\nWant to cook just like our Test Kitchen? Check out all of our experts' favorite kitchen tools<\/a> here.\r\n

Method 1 for Slicing Bars: Squares<\/h2>\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\nAfter your bars have cooled completely, lift the bake from the pan using the parchment paper and place them on a cutting board.\r\n

For an 8x8 pan:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Using your bench scraper, measure out to the middle of the full-sized piece and cut down.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Measure the halfway point between the middle cut and the edge. Cut straight down, and then repeat on the other side of the middle cut. Now you should have four columns of bars that are each 2-inches wide.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Turn the dessert and repeat your cuts until you have 16 two-inch squares.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    For a 13x9 pan:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. Start on the shorter side facing toward you. Measure to the middle point and cut away from you.<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. Find the halfway point between the edge and the middle cut, and cut all the way down. Repeat on the other side of the middle cut. Now you\u2019ll have four columns that are 2 \u00bc -inches wide.<\/li>\r\n \t
    3. Turn the pan longways. Measure to the middle of the full-sized piece and cut through the columns. From the edge, measure out 2 <\/span>1\/10<\/span>-inches using the bench scraper, make a mark, then measure and mark another 2 1\/10-inches. Cut down from the two marks.<\/li>\r\n \t
    4. Repeat on the other side of the middle cut. Now you\u2019ll have 21 2\u00bc x2 <\/span>1\/10<\/span>-inch square bars.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nEditor's note<\/em>:\u00a0When you\u2019re cutting with a bench scraper, be sure to cut by pressing the scraper straight down and pulling it straight out, rather than sawing. This will keep your cuts straight and even.\r\n

      Method 2: Wedges<\/h2>\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\nAlways allow the bars to cool completely, then remove them from the pan using the parchment paper. This is just like cutting squares, except you'll be slicing every square in half to make triangle-shaped wedges.\r\n

      For an 8x8 pan<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
        \r\n \t
      1. Cut larger squares than you would for the standard square cut. They can be 4 inches by 4 inches here.<\/li>\r\n \t
      2. Then take your bench scraper and cut corner to corner so you have triangular wedges.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

        For a 13x9 pan<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
          \r\n \t
        1. Cut three long rows into your bars (that's three 3-inch rows).<\/li>\r\n \t
        2. Then cut across the other way to form rectangles\u2014they should be between 3 and 4 inches across<\/li>\r\n \t
        3. Cut each rectangle in half diagonally with the bench scraper or a sharp knife.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

          Method 3: Long Rectangles<\/h2>\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\nAgain, allow your bars to cool completely, then remove them from the pan using the parchment paper lining.\r\n

          For an 8x8 Pan:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
            \r\n \t
          1. On one side, make three marks that are 2-inches apart and cut down. Turn the bars and make one mark in the middle, 4-inches from the edge, and cut down. You\u2019ll have eight 2x4-inch rectangles.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

            For a 13x9 Pan:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
              \r\n \t
            1. On the long side of the pan, make a mark and cut down every 2 1\/10-inches, so you have 6 columns. Turn the pan to its shorter side and make one cut down the middle, 4 \u00bd-inches from the edge. You\u2019ll end up with 12 2 1\/10x4 \u00bd-inch rectangles.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nNow that your dessert bars are perfectly cut, pack them back up in their pan or on a decorative platter and get ready to impress your friends and family.\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
              \n\t\t\t\t
              Try More of Our Dessert Bar Recipes<\/div>\t\t\t\t
              \n\t\t\t\t\t
              <\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t1 \/ 48<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t
              <\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t