Second Match: LEMON BARS

Contenders: Southern Living's "Luscious Lemon Bars" recipe v. KRUSTEAZ Lemon Bars

After covering the whole place in chocolate batter, I knew I needed to freshen up my kitchen, so why not with a citrus-y dessert experiment this time?? And what better than the classic Lemon Bar!

My mom used to make these cheek-puckering desserts when I was in grade school (we actually called them Lemon Squares). I remember the ooey-gooey, tart-yet-sweet fruit filling, that sat on a salty, buttery crust and had a hint of sweetness from the powdered sugar that dusted the top...nothing short of magical. My mom's usually came from the box, so I thought if they were heavenly, I definitely needed to see how a recipe from scratch would measure up. And this past weekend I did just that...

Contender 1: I went to Southern Living's Web site and found a perfect-sounding recipe for this week's battle: "Luscious Lemon Bars." The recipe called for a 9x13 pan (which is larger than the 8x8 pan that 1 box of KRUSTEAZ lemon bars calls for) and that was fine by me, since the more the merrier when it comes to dessert quantity!

The recipe was easy to follow, but had some interesting twists. I had to line the pan with foil and grease that (I actually think this helped make the crust a bit crunchier). The crust (flour, powdered sugar, and butter) also had to bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F, which is twice as long as the boxed recipe...

While the crust was baking, I was busy whisking 4 eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice. Then I added a bit of flour and poured the fresh-smelling filling into the hot crust.

This all baked for a good 25 minutes and then I let it cool for almost an hour (all the while needing to leave the room, since I was tempted to taste test early...)


Contender 2: So, I decided on making the boxed contender, KRUSTEAZ's Lemon Bar Mix. KRUSTEAZ's slogan, by the way, is: "Homemade. Made Easy." So, just like Betty with her bold statement on her brownie box as "America's Favorite," I felt intrigued to investigate...

The recipe was easy to make. I sprayed an 8x8 pan with cooking spray, cut open the crust mix and patted it in the pan...baking it for only about 8 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, I stirred the pre-packaged filling mix with 3 eggs and water. Once the crust was finished, I poured the filling onto the warm crust (much like the homemade recipe), and then let it bake for about 27 minutes. Once the filling set and the edges began to brown, I knew it was time to take them out!

So yes, KRUSTEAZ's version of Lemon Bars was made easy....but the question remains: was it really homemade made easy? Or just lemon bars made easy...


Verdict is In...
"When in Beth's kitchen...lemon bars from scratch!"

This past weekend, i decided to bring the Lemon Bars to my graduate school class on Saturday and let them decide which lemon bar was which and which tasted more scrumptious. Hands down...the homemade lemon bars won over these hungry students!

What I can personally attest to (and what the students commented on) was the crust of the lemon bars from scratch. Honestly, nothing could touch it! It was a shortbread-like crust that was crunchy and buttery. These lemon bars easily came out of the pan, while KRUSTEAZ's lemon bars stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Interestingly enough, KRUSTEAZ's lemon bars were also a darker yellow color than Southern Living's lemon bars. Thinking back on the brownies from last week...it just makes you start to wonder how much is added to make the colors look richer in these desserts when they come in a box?

I'm sorry, KRUSTEAZ, I do love your cornbread (a completely other blog post, I'm sure!), but Southern Living's recipe won this battle.

OK, so we've done chocolate and fruit so far as the main ingredients to these desserts...suggestions for what's next?? I'm thinking cinnamon or peanut butter...

-Beth from Baltimore

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Featured Recipe in this Blog Post

Luscious Lemon Bars (http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1966749)

Prep Time: 20 min
Other: 1 hour 45 min
Yield: Makes about 2 dozen (mine made MANY more!)

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cold butter (cut into pieces)
4 large eggs
2 cups granulate sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Powdered sugar (to sprinkle on top!)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil or parchment paper, allowing 2-3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.

2. Stir 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

4. Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large bowl until smooth; whisk granulated sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir together baking powder and remaining 1/4 cup flour; whisk into egg mixture. Pour mixture over hot baked crust.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Life from pan, using foil sides as handles. cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes). Remove foil, and cut into bars; sprinkle with powdered sugar

*Note: to make ahead, prepare as directed. Cover tightly, and freeze up to 1 month.

First Match: BROWNIES

Contenders: Betty Crocker (all boxed up) v. Beth (with some help from HERSHEY'S!)

*baking soda not used!

This past Monday actually marked the first night that my kitchen would host a battle between desserts! So, let me give you a little background on the contenders...

CONTENDER 1: I decided on Betty Crocker's Fudge Brownies (about $1.20 for the boxed mix). The box, by the way, boldly declared its contents as "America's Favorite" brownies in the top right-hand corner...so, was I intimidated? OK, maybe a little, but I'm here to do some very important investigative work and so, it just made me more eager to see if they would live up to their reputation!

Betty's brownies were easy and familiar to make...pour the packaged mix into a bowl, add water, vegetable oil, and crack 2 eggs...then stir...and VOILA! I poured the batter into a sprayed pan and about 31 minutes later, I had the rich, chocolate-colored and glossy-topped pan of brownies I expected from Ms. Crocker.

CONTENDER 2: I wanted to pick a brownie recipe from scratch that would be able to really give Betty a run for her spatula...and so a familiar, chocolatey name came to mind...Hershey's. I went on Hershey's Web site and found the recipe for their "HERSHEY'S Best Brownies" (recipe at end of the post)

To be expected, Hershey's recipe made me work a tad harder for that pan of chocolate-battered goodness...

STEP 1: Melting two sticks of butter in the microwave...WARNING: the butter really doesn't take too long to melt (if Betty Crocker had been in that kitchen doing battle with me, she would have been in hysterics watching my sticks of butter puff into a cloud-like formation in the microwave, after the 1:30 minute mark...I admittedly peeked around my apartment just to make sure nobody really saw). But, all was well, and I rescued the bowl out of the microwave, the butter settling quietly down into a puddle formation in its bowl.

STEP 2: Add sugar, vanilla, and stir. (easy!)

STEP 3: Add 4 eggs, one at a time (this is double the amount of eggs you add to Betty's recipe)

STEP 4: Add cocoa powder, then flour, baking powder, and salt (swirling until it resembles a familiar brownie batter consistency)...you can add nuts, I personally don't like them in my brownies...though walnuts would probably be a good choice.

*NOTE: NO BAKING SODA in this recipe...I always read recipes quickly and grab for the soda and powder, so excuse it from the picture...the baking soda never actually made it into my brownies : )

STEP 4: Pour batter into greased pan and bake about 32 minutes.


You can see the comparison below: Betty Crocker's brownies (on left in both pictures) are a more rich, chocolate color with a glossy top, while HERSHEY'S brownies (on right in both pictures) turned out to be a lighter brown color, with a cake-like top and consistency.

VERDICT IS IN:

In a pinch, Betty will do...but if you really want to do it right, let Hershey's recipe put a smile on your face.

I decided to bring a pan with both types of brownies to my softball game on Tuesday night. The taste testers weren't told which brownies were from scratch and which were from a box. Interestingly enough, many could tell just by looking at the brownies which were which.

Some liked Betty's brownies because their appearance and taste were "familiar," while others preferred the texture and full-bodied cocoa taste of Hershey's recipe.

It seemed to be a toss up. Many said both were delicious in their own ways...different chocolate taste and different consistency from one another.

I personally found Betty's recipe to be yummy because I really enjoy the flaky top (though, I'm not quite sure what's in the mix that makes this happen!), but the mix always seems to stick to the back of my throat. I found Hershey's recipe tasted like fudge and had more substance. Hershey's brownies actually came out thicker, even though I used the same sized pan for each.

In the end, homemade won me over, but it's clear that in a rush...Betty's familiar recipe would still win the stomachs of her many, dedicated indulgers.


WHAT'S NEXT: Now that I've done battle with chocolate batter...I think a recipe involving lemons would be a nice way to freshen up my oven...

-Beth from Baltimore

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The Featured Recipe in this Blog Post:

HERSHEY'S Best Brownies (found at: http://www.hersheys.com/)

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine

2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Place butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at Medium (50%) 2-2:30 minutes or until melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with spoon after each addition. Add cocoa; beat until well blended. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; beat well. Stir in nuts, if desired. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost if desired. Cut into bars. About 36 brownies.

And so it begins...pre-heating the blog's oven...

So, you're frantically walking down your grocery store's baking aisle, perhaps just learning that you have 3 dozen cupcakes to make for your child's class party tomorrow, or maybe your co-workers thoughtfully signed you up to make your infamous double chocolate chip brownies for tomorrow's holiday celebration...the question is: Will they be from the box or scratch??

Is it really always worth the extra effort to follow Grandma's recipe, or will it be more time-, cost-, and taste-effective to grab the box of dessert mix and go?

Well, this is my first blog and as an avid baker, dessert-indulger, and chocolate fanatic, I found a natural inspiration to blog about them! I'm hoping to investigate and compare boxed desserts with actual recipes from scratch. I'll try and give a run down of prep/bake time, ingredient expenses, taste quality, and overall visual appeal (how bad it makes your sweet tooth throb!)

Come join me in my kitchen and I hope you'll find me and my discoveries as sweet as the creations I'll be making.

Pre-heating...complete!

First trial?...I'm thinking brownies...stay tuned.

-Beth from Baltimore