Limoncello Magazine

How to Make the Best Lemon Bars Unique Dessert Flavors for Spring

Christina Tosi’s Dessert Empire 03

Note From The Editor Spring 2019 It is the 17th day of spring. But is it really? More than two weeks into the season and, here in New York, there are still 40-degree days in my 10-day forecast.

Yes, we’ve had a couple gorgeous afternoons where the thermometer rises to 60 and you put on a denim jacket and decide you don’t need to wear tights. But I promise the moment you put your winter coat in storage is the moment when Mother Nature pulls out that one last snowstorm she’s been hiding up her sleeve.

At Limoncello, we herald spring’s arrival, developing recipes around the verdant glory of seasonal produce.

Our April print issue, which magically arrived on newsstands on the day of the spring equinox, includes wonderful recipes for a keylime tart with juicy strawberries and loads of mint, ricotta cake with almond and raspberries.

We can’t wait to cook with rhubarb and citrus and berries and herbs. You should make these recipes the moment these ingredients land at your farmers’ market!

But you know what’s at my farmers’ market right now?

Cold-storage apples, sweet potatoes, and rutabaga.

Maybe I’m weird, but I actually very much enjoy picking out the ingredients for my meals. In fact, over

the years, buying food has become less of a chore and more of a creative undertaking. Noticing the differences in the taste and texture of fruits and veggies as the seasons change is one of the many things that makes cooking so exciting. Spring is a pivotal time to start paying attention to produce flavors.

Yes, the peas will arrive eventually, and there’ll be that week when everyone loses their minds over ramps (do people still get excited about ramps?), but by that point it’s basically Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer—which really isn’t summer at all, but that’s a rant for another day.

Meryl Rothstein Editor-In-Chief

contents

03 Christina Tosi’s Dessert Empire Kim Severson

07 How to Make The Best Lemon Bars Meghan Splawn

09 Why Your Baking Fail is Probably Not Your Fault Claire Saffitz

12 Unique Dessert Flavors for Spring Louella Lee

15 Frosting, Icing, and Decorating Like a Pro

03

John Smith

18 The Rise of the Pastry Chefs Chris Morocco

20 The Story of Japanese Souffle Pancakes Rie McClenny

Christina Tosi’s Dessert Empire As her Milk Bar chain enters the big leagues, the pastry chef’s challenge is holding on to its small-shop charms.

10

image by Katherine Frey limoncello

New-Employee Orientation

Orientation at Milk Bar is a little like the first meeting of a support group devised by Tony Robbins and Willy Wonka. The 30 people sitting on folding chairs were in for a treat on this January morning in Williamsburg, Brooklyn: an appearance by Christina Tosi, who a decade ago conjured up the first Milk Bar bakery out of not much more than glitter, plywood and the brilliant idea of making soft-serve from the milk at the bottom of a cereal bowl.

When the time came to share a personal fun fact, Ms. Tosi volunteered that she had started making lanterns out of Popsicle sticks. Then everyone watched the company’s sizzle reel: Ms. Tosi riding a bike through the city. Ms. Tosi discussing failure. Ms. Tosi making the cakes with no side frosting that have become so popular the model and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen documented her attempt to make one for her 33 million followers on Twitter and Instagram.

Next up were clips from her star turn as a judge on “MasterChef Junior,” the Fox show whose seventh season begins on Feb. 26, and the seminal moment in 2009 when Anderson Cooper swooned over her famous Crack Pie on “Live With Regis and Kelly.” Then they reviewed handouts of the company’s mission statement. Ms. Tosi read the last few lines aloud: “Dessert! Baked Goods! Me! You! We Are The Conduit For It All. Milk Bar Is Magic. Milk Bar Is A Movement.”

3

limoncello

She’s paying for it with some of the more than $10 million from RSE Ventures, an investment firm founded in part by the vice chairman of the Miami Dolphins, Matt Higgins, who also stars on “Shark Tank.” All of this is headspinning, especially for New Yorkers who remember waiting in line at the first store in the East Village, hoping the compost cookies weren’t sold out.

The Milk Bar Universe

Ms. Tosi, 37, is an introvert in overalls who carries math problems in her purse, along with embroidery thread to make friendship bracelets. Now, she has to figure out how to maintain the Milk Bar magic while running a multimillion-dollar business. “Growing fast feels like selling out, but I realized if we controlled the growth it could be really cool, too,” she said during a 12-hour day of trainings, tasting and meetings.

10

limoncello

She knows at least one thing: She doesn’t want a Milk Bar on every corner, like Starbucks. “I sat with it and lost a lot of sleep over it and finally I was just like, ‘That’s just not what we are,’” she said.

Still, there is no lack of ambition in the Milk Bar universe. People who manage the brand talk about making Milk Bar a verb, like Google or Uber, so at 2 p.m. someone might turn to a co-worker and say, “Let’s Milk Bar it!” and head out for cookies. “We want to tap into the person who is like, ‘I just want to live my truth in my own weird, quirky way,’” said Sarah Tabb, the senior director of marketing, who spent six years as a brand manager for Coca-Cola.

Ms. Tosi plans to open Milk Bars in cities where there’s already a fan base, including Chicago and Miami. The company is upgrading its e-commerce, which is about a third of the business. Then there is her holy grail: the grocery store.

“

I just want to live my truth in my own weird, quirky way.

”

As someone with roots in central Ohio who grew up on hot dogs, Doritos and ranch dressing, she is a deep fan of packaged food, and the supermarket remains an inspirational touchstone. Milk Bar desserts on the shelves of America’s suburban grocery stores, she said, are her gift to children looking for creative inspiration in a sea of mass-market blandness. But building an empire comes with a challenge familiar to many niche food entrepreneurs riding a growth spurt: “How do you do that,” she said, “without being like any other hockeystick white dude?”

Momofuku Ms. Tosi may be the unicorn that can, said Doug Quint, a founder of Big Gay Ice Cream, another only-in-New York brand that began just after Milk Bar and also is expanding. “It takes a little time before you realize her genius,” he said. “It’s all so deep in her, she doesn’t even recognize it.”

One hurdle on her way up was changing her relationship with David Chang, the chef who first hired her to handle office business and later made her pastry chef for his Momofuku restaurants. He knew she wanted to open her own bakery, and gave her the seed money to do it.

For years, the bakery has operated independently of the Momofuku empire, but Mr. Chang remains a business partner. As Ms. Tosi sought more autonomy for herself and Milk Bar, there were arguments and frustration. “She was becoming her own thing, and I didn’t know how to deal with it,” Mr. Chang said in an interview. “I wouldn’t say it was rough, but we didn’t have any reference points. I don’t think we knew how to talk to each other as business people.”

Both describe their relationship, then and

Image by Winnie Au

Always Bet On Christina now, as brother-and-sister. She still seeks his advice, which he now gives only when asked. “Telling her something head-on isn’t the right approach,” he said. “No one wants to tell Tosi she’s wrong.” She remains one of the boldest, most ambitious people he knows. “Always bet on Christina,” he said.

Ms. Tosi credits her upbringing for her determination. She wasn’t allowed to say, “I can’t” or “I’m bored.” Her mother was a no-nonsense accountant who still makes her signature headscarves by hand. Her father was an agricultural economist. They divorced when she was a teenager. “We were always told, ‘Be yourself and do what’s right and do your best,’” said her older sister, Angela Morrison. But Ms. Tosi was particularly driven.

“Sometimes I tell her, ‘Christina, not everyone is you.” To watch Ms. Tosi in action is to understand focus at a new level.

5

limoncello

The First Ever Color of the Year for the KitchenAidÂŽ ArtisanÂŽ Mini Stand Mixer.

Bird of Paradise, a high gloss, vibrant coral color that will bring your kitchen to life, and further inspire your culinary creativity and creations.

How to Make THE BEST

Lemon Bars Let’s just get this out of the way — I really love lemon bars. Sure, I love chocolate chip cookies and a very good brownie as much as the next person, but lemon bars light me up like a little kid; their eye-catching brightness and promise of a sweet pucker always reel me in. This lemon bar is what I consider the ideal, with a buttery shortbread crust that is sturdy but tender enough to bite through and a thick and luscious filling with a balance of sweetness and tangy lemon brightness.

A solid recipe for this beloved bakery-style treat remained elusive to me for many years, as I often attempted to turn lemon curd into bars without success.

As it turns out, there are just a few key steps to making the very best lemon bars at home, including a secret ingredient for a soft and sturdy crust, smart timing for filling the crust, and a lemon filling (not curd) that bakes up with all the brightness I was searching for. Here’s how to make the very best classic lemon bars at home. ­— Megan Splawn

7

limoncello

How to Make a Shortbread Crust A great crust is paramount to enjoying lemon bars. The crust must be sturdy and supple. Three keys will easily get you the best possible version: • Use a combination of granulated sugar and powdered sugar: The small amount of cornstarch that comes from the powdered sugar makes the crust more tender.

• Use cold butter and a food processor to make the crust: Similar to making a pie dough, cold butter will make for a more tender shortbread crust. Using a food processor to mix the crust not only makes mixing faster, but also keeps the butter cool.

• Parbake the crust: Baking the crust without the filling gives it a head start on baking and browning, yes, but it also ensures that the crust sets without absorbing too much moisture from the lemon filling.

How to Make the Best Lemon Filling I long believed that the best lemon bars were filled with lemon curd, that is a lemon mixture cooked once to thicken it and another time to make the bar, but I was always disappointed by a dry filling without much flavor. Instead the best way to fill lemon bars is to make a lemon-like custard with lemon juice, eggs, and sugar.

Using powdered sugar in addition to granulated sugar makes for a creamier, more pudding-like filling. The tiny amount of cornstarch in the powdered sugar helps to gently thicken it as it cools.

Everything You Need to Know It’s helpful to know right away that you’ll need three lemons to make these bars. With a triple dose of lemon flavor — zest in both the crust and filling and the fresh juice in the filling — zest the lemons first, and then juice them. You’ll have more than enough zest for both the crust and filling, and will avoid the awkward zesting of half a juiced lemon.

The Secret Ingredient

Unlike other lemon bar recipes, powdered sugar isn’t just a garnish for these bars — it lends its cornstarch-enhanced sweetening powder to both the crust and the filling. You’ll also need some pantry basics like granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, eggs, butter, and salt.

8

limoncello

Standard lemons make for classic lemon bars, but if you happen to have an excess of Meyer lemons, limes, or Seville oranges, you can substitute them one for one with the lemon zest and lemon juice called for here.

Other citrus like navel oranges, clementines, or cara cara oranges should be used in partnership with lemon. For example, use half orange and half lemon for both the zest and juice called for here. This 50/50 mix keeps the bars from being too sweet and ensures they set properly.

Ingredients For the crust: • Cooking spray or butter • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 1/4 cup granulated sugar • 1/4 cup powdered sugar • 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed

Lemon Bars

For the filling: • 4 large eggs • 1 large egg yolk • 1 cup granulated sugar • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus more for dusting • 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh lemon zest (from 2 lemons) • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 to 3 medium lemons) • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions Prepare the baking dish. Lightly coat a 7x11-inch or 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter. Line the dish with a parchment paper sling, leaving an overhang of about 2 inches on two opposite sides; set aside.

Make the crust. Place the flour, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, zest, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse 5 times to combine. Sprinkle with the butter cubes and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Press the crust in and chill while the oven heats. Pour the crust mixture into the prepared baking dish. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingers to press the crumbs into an even layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 325°F. Parbake the crust. Bake the crust until light golden-brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Make the filling. Place the whole eggs, egg yolk, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, zest, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in the lemon juice, and then the flour, until combined. Pour the filling onto the warm crust. Remove the parbaked crust from the oven. Pour the lemon filling onto the warm crust.

Storage:

Bake and cool the lemon bars. Return the pan to the oven and bake until light brown around the edges, set in the middle, and the top appears relatively dry, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, at least 1 hour, before serving. Dust with powdered sugar. Using a fine-mesh strainer, generously dust the bars with more powdered sugar.

The lemon bars are best eaten within 24 hours, but may be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days

Cut the lemon bars. Grasping the parchment sling, lift the lemon bar slab out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 12 or 16 bars. Dust with more powdered sugar, if desired, before serving.

9

limoncello

3 Reasons Why Your Baking Fail is Probably Not Your Fault

10

limoncello

Raise your hand if this has happened to you in the kitchen: You are attempting a baking recipe—a cake, let’s say—and you meticulously read, reread, and follow all the steps. You cream the butter and sugar in the mixer for a full five minutes until it’s definitely “light and fluffy.” Your eggs are completely room temperature.

You’re extra careful not to overmix the batter when you add the dry ingredients. Your cake pan is thoroughly buttered and floured. Your oven has been preheating for ages. Then after 30 minutes of peeking through the oven door, you realize it’s happened again: That cake is burnt around the edges, and almost certainly raw in the middle.

“ Good bakers aren’t born— they’re made.

”

If this happens to you on the regular, you may have come to the unfortunate conclusion that you’re just not a good baker. But it’s not true! There may be very real reasons that your baked goods are not turning out, and they could have absolutely nothing to do with you. Good bakers aren’t born—they’re made.

And with enough practice and experience, you’ll be able to identify the factors that determine whether a given baked good succeeds or fails.

Let’s troubleshoot all the ways your baking game can be derailed by outside forces and what you can do to counter them.

Maybe Your Oven Sucks

If the above problem has happened to you, I’d bet money that you were probably using a dark pan, or one with very thin sides, or both. I have a couple of flimsy dollar store pans that have a dark coating, and when I compare the cakes that come out of them to those made with my heavy-duty, slightly more expensive light-colored aluminum pans, darker pans always produce poor results.

That’s because dark pans absorb and distribute heat more quickly than lighter ones, so batter sets and browns more quickly, leading to uneven baking and potential burning. If you’re baking in dark pans, drop the oven temperature by 25°F and check for doneness earlier. The same is true if you’re baking in glass. Glass takes longer than metal to heat up but it also retains heat longer, so it actually bakes things more efficiently. This can also lead to over-baking, so it’s also best practice to drop the temperature and keep a watchful eye on the oven.

Maybe Your Baking Soda Is Expired

Maybe Your Pans Suck

1

2

Many ovens—especially shitty NYC apartment ovens like mine that are little more than glorified tin boxes—have hot spots. You know this if you bake a tray of cookies without rotating the pan halfway through: the cookies on one side come out pale while the ones on the other side are nearly burnt. To become a proficient baker, you have to get to know your oven. Even though the knob says it’s 350° does not mean the internal temperature is anywhere close to that. Get an oven thermometer so there’s no question about accuracy. If your oven has crazy hot spots, try rotating pans at least once during baking. You can also go to a home improvement store and purchase unglazed ceramic tiles—which are very inexpensive—and place them on the floor of your oven to better diffuse and distribute heat. I did this in my oven and it absolutely makes a difference. Also, other than rotating a pan now and again, resist the urge to open the oven frequently, as this can lead to dramatic temperature swings, which never helps.

3

If you have an issue with the rise (or lack thereof) of your baked goods, expired baking soda or powder might be the culprit—especially if you don’t bake often and those guys have been sitting around for a long time. Even though they have long shelf lives, chemical leaveners will lose potency over time. If the only box of baking soda you have around is the one that’s been absorbing odors in your fridge for the last few years, it’s probably a good idea to get a new box just for baking.

10

limoncello

OK… It Might Be Your Fault If you’ve got great pans, a fancy oven, and fresh chemical leaveners and your cake is still burnt, well, then you’re probably looking at a case of user error. Which is OK! There are a lot of parts of any given baking recipe that seem like they wouldn’t make a difference, but are actually totally crucial. Here are a few things you could have overlooked:

Now What?

Always use liquid measuring cups to measure liquid and dry measuring cups to measure dry. Especially when measuring flour, accuracy is important, so using only dry measuring cups—or better yet, weighing on a scale—is key. In the Bon Appétit test kitchen, we prefer the “spoon and level” method, meaning we spoon the flour into the measuring cup (rather than using the cup to scoop directly) and then level it off with a bench scraper or other flat-edged tool.

11

limoncello

Always bake in the center of the oven. A pan placed too close to the bottom of the oven will receive more heat radiating from the oven floor, baking it faster from the bottom. The reverse is true of something baked on the top rack. Always bake in the center for the most even baking and browning all around. If you have to bake on two racks at once— two baking sheets of cookies, for instance—make sure to rotate the pans halfway through. But in order to get the most even baking possible, you need to swap the top and bottom sheets and rotate each pan 180° as well.

Only bake one type of thing at a time. Even when it seems like you’re killing two birds with one stone, baking multiple recipes at the same time in one oven presents a tricky balancing act.

Having more than one thing in there affects bake time and temperature, plus it adds moisture to the environment and blocks heat flow, so things just don’t turn out as reliably as they would on their own. Best avoided.

ICE CREAM

#RXPJL***5-DIGIT #MAG00145628234 LEAH J PARKER 1977 4TH AVENUE SE MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55414

55414 APR01