Developing These Perfect Lemon Bars Nearly Broke Me | Bon Appétit

Kendra Vaculin spent days in the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen making tray after tray of lemon bars to develop her perfect recipe. Watch as she experiments with every variable to arrive at the ultimate lemon bar-from the ideal crust to the perfect consistency-before publishing it for Bon Appétit.
Get the entire recipe, plus access to over 50,000 more from Bon Appétit and Epicurious: bit.ly/3rrsXfe
See Kendra's final recipe: bonappetit.com/recipe/foolpro...
Director: Jeff Kornberg
Director of Photography: Kevin Dynia
Editor: Misa Qu; Michael Imhoff
Talent: Kendra Vaculin
Producer: Tyrice Hester
Coordinating Producer: Kevyn Fairchild
Line Producer: Jennifer McGinty
Associate Producer: Shelby Boamah
Production Manager: Janine Dispensa
Production Coordinator: Elizabeth Hymes
Camera Operator: David Castellano
Sound Mixer: Lily Van Leuwen
Culinary Assistant: Biba Clark
Post Production Supervisor: Andrea Farr
Post Production Coordinator: Scout Alter
Supervising Editor: Eduardo Araújo
Assistant Editor: Lauren Worona
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ABOUT BON APPÉTIT
Bon Appétit is a highly opinionated food brand that wants everyone to love cooking and eating as much as we do. We believe in seasonal produce, properly salted pasta water, and developing recipes that anyone can make at home.

[@bonappetit]

Get the entire recipe, plus access to over 50,000 more from Bon Appétit and Epicurious: bit.ly/3rrsXfe See Kendra's final recipe: bonappetit.com/recipe/foolproof-lemon-bars

[@bigmikeobama5314]

this recipe gets totally trashed in the comments of the bonapetit website lol. wont be wasting my time or money

[@krysstefan2505]

Oh she talks and talks this is not for me

[@shanewittershicks6491]

I hope Kendra knows that her struggle made this THE MOST INTERESTING video in this series to date. I think us viewers learn more the more you struggle 😂❤

[@lastlooksmua4454]

Preach ❤

[@shrlyryl]

I agree!! I watched every second! So unlike me

[@danieltouzdjiann8678]

This needs to be a new series ASAP ! Great talent, great style of video, great food content and very much repeatable. Kendra's 10/10

[@themonkeyman2547]

It’s kind of a series. They’ve done chocolate chip cookies, pizza, and thanksgiving turkey off the top of my head

[@LizzyBee600]

Is this not ripped off NYC cooking? Vaughn does something just like this

[@thomasf9478]

Uhhhhh...

[@squirellbrain]

this has literally been a series ..? lol

[@griffincontracting]

@danieltouzdjiann8678

[@alandrine203]

Giving me flashbacks of Claire's Gourmet Makes trial and error.😅😅 Love Kendra by the way! She needs a series something like this.

[@dgchvz]

Please do not mention past Bon Appetit employees, if they wanted to be here they would be

[@gussoloj569]

@@dgchvzbro chill. It’s not that deep.

[@evindrews]

She actually 100% reminds me of Molly!!

[@Benisuber1]

@@dgchvz you're not helping anyone

[@anarchist_parable]

@@dgchvzParasocial relationships aren't healthy. You need to calm it down.

[@QB.113]

Excellent video. Felt personally invested in this lemon bar journey

[@boringbastard4920]

Blamed first the missing spoon of flour. Then the oven. So she went and got help,for the last batch. Am i wrong?😱😁

[@Terenia531]

To avoid having your crust float on top of your filling while baking, press your crust down and into the side of the pan immediately after taking it out of the oven while still soft and hot. The crust shrinks when it bakes and it’s an easy way for unset filling to seep under. Also, in order to get a smoother surface on the surface of the lemon filling, pop the bubbles quickly with a kitchen torch before placing into the oven if you’re bothered by it.

[@benjenkins3205]

Had the issue of 'un-lemony' lemon bars when I last tried these. Found a novel fix: blitz citric acid crystals into a powder and mix it into the sugar dusting (the mixture is basically lemon sherbert). Every bite starts with a sharp lemony hit before that creamy, fragrant baked lemon flavour comes through.

[@hibasobh]

Great idea! Thanks for your comment

[@lindseydrummond5658]

Closest thing to Gourmet Makes and I’m so HERE for it!!! More Kendra trial and error please!!!

[@StephenPhayre]

Fab video - really throws back to the pre-scandal BA videos.

[@Jay.1106]

Love the energy that Kendra exudes!

[@lillyess385]

The last time I made lemon bars, I decided to halve the sugar because I thought the amont was ridiculous. Yeah, that was a bad idea. The lemon bars turned out so tart, it made people's teeth ache. 😂

[@RacinZ28]

You got the job by taking creative risks and willing to make mistakes...that to me is a great chef.

[@Syveril]

LOVE the failures; I feel like that's what made watching the whole video worthwhile. Very excited to try the final recipe.

[@jkromes20]

My grandma used to make lemon bars occasionally and I loved them. Can’t remember the last time I had them. I’m gonna bake some in her honor ❤

[@steph921]

"How did she get this job" Me: "Well back in 2020...." 😂

[@aimeeparrott9204]

MORE OF THIS. Kendra is fun to watch and I really miss this sort of recipe development content. Also love that Cheis Morocco dropped in.

[@hescomingsoon1291]

I honestly loved this recipe! I had no trouble with it at all - no upside down crust. I ended up adding another 1/2 lemon's worth of lemon juice though and it hit perfect! My mother loves lemon and I made dinner along with these lovelies for Mother's Day for her. She loved them!

[@dkmarianah]

Thank you for the honest journey!! I'm inspired to make this and feeling excited!

[@cindyg5969]

These “making it best” are always my favourite videos

[@hollyg197]

Absolutely fascinating. Thank you for sharing the development process. I'm making these bars this weekend.

[@Ddonaldson9]

It was really enjoyable to watch you go through this experimenting process and so satisfying to come through with a great bar at the end.

[@eileenfrank3686]

I have a large Meyer Lemon tree in my backyard and am always wanting to try new recipes. Not realizing Lemon Bars were historically difficult, I recently tried a recipe [similar to #3] and was very disappointed. The crust turned out perfect, but the filling never thickened sufficiently even after the required time in the oven. The parchment paper almost started burning on the edges. I just tossed it into the fridge; it was a very tasty, but messy outcome the next day. But I would like to share a rule given to me by a dear friend: Never use metallic bowls or utensils when baking with lemons; avoid the acidity by using glass and/or oven proof bowls and cookware and plastic whisks when possible. 🍋😉

[@kathleeninkansas1770]

it's really just easier (and gives the classic lemon bar taste/texture) to pre cook the filling in order thicken it up, before you pour it on the crust. The runny liquid filling just soaks into the crust before it reaches a temperature hot enough in the oven to thicken. If your using sweetened condensed milk it's giving you the thickness you need to start, but it's not a classic lemon bar. it's a lemon supreme pie filling bar.

[@br0dy32]

I have made lemon bars where the crust ended up on top - basically the filling has seeped underneath the crust during cooking. I think the answer is to add the filling while the crust is still hot. When the crust cools, it shrinks, leaving a gap. It also helps to precook the filling.

[@seelengoldt8682]

I love Kendra. Need more of this in my life!

[@the-chow-hall]

Brilliant! More Kendra please!!❤

[@dwaynekoblitz6032]

EXCELLENT SHOWING CHEF!! I AM happy to see you. Thank you. Welcome to BA as far as I can see. With my hero, Chris?! Lemon bars for life! If I've messed up my compliment I assure you that I want to see many more of your recipes. I BLANK LOVE lemon bars!! 💯💯❤️❤️

[@melsyoutube]

haven’t watched BA for years but this gave me a sense of familiarity, i’m glad i came across this video

[@bobneubauer6537]

Final recipe makes a fantastic lemon bar! Kendra, thanks for working out all the variables for us. This one's bookmarked and will be used often!

[@bigplantpapi]

I've never baked or cooked desserts, but I stumbled upon your video and LOVED the process. I really learned a lot watching your process, your struggle, and the reviews... you really look so natural on camera you should do more of these videos... ... and with that ending I'm making this recipe tomorrow!

[@heatherbeth4249]

SAME HERE!!

[@fuzzycuffs]

Hey Kendra -- why are you nervous to fail? Experimentation is all about failing and making it better -- thats the awesome part! I'm looking forward to make these this weekend

[@Justin-Trammell]

More shows like this please~

[@dwaynekoblitz6032]

I agree completely. MUCH MORE! This channel has had us waiting for content. This is it. If you can make lemons bars you can do anything. I stand STRONGLY BEHIND BA!!! 💯💯💯❤️❤️❤️

[@kylesherman9764]

Kendra is a star -- need more of these asap!

[@PAWiley]

Super fun! Loved the process.

[@happygrandma5637]

I am definitely going to try these. I have several different lemon bar recipes but none of them seem to deliver the lemon flavor that I want. I always put zest in with the sugar but I am not convinced it makes a difference. The last batch I made I used browned butter in the crust, no egg (never had a lemon bar recipe with egg in the crust), and about 1/4 t of turmeric which gave the lemon part a brighter color with no taste.

[@sammytabrizi7848]

BA is coming back! kendra is amazing!! haven’t been so interested in a BA video in a while!

[@bettycarmella1127]

I looooove lemon desserts! This looks amazing

[@davidh.9703]

This may be heresy at BA, but you should head over to ATK and try Lan Lam’s lemon bars recipe. Yes, they are twice cooked, but they are awesome and have what Lan describes as a secret ingredient to make the lemon flavor pop without being too tart. I have not yet made yours to see how they compare, but Lan’s set the bar high.

[@candidwings5609]

I agree with this. Though I use a different crust than the ATK (I found it too crumbly), the lemon filling is AMAZING

[@carrieannmcleod5219]

The best and easiest lemon bar recipe, I found in Southern Living magazine. I've been making it for years.

[@NagusJJP]

The authenticity is super engaging

[@San_Mar]

I must say, I can watch her all day. She is a delight to watch.

[@77Brainfreeze]

Explaining your thought process as to why you are changing your ingredients is extremely helpful. Thank you.

[@wilhelmina8843]

11:19 The genuine way that she couldn’t speak or form her thoughts was so funny.

[@AfterTheRains]

I am amazed at the recipe instructions. There is a scale being used and the onscreen recipe shows cups, then the website recipe shows some ingredients in grams but the butter still shows tablespoons! The best baking needs exact measurements and in U.K. we definitely don’t measure butter in tablespoons and butter doesn’t come in sticks.

[@mariaeduardamota1705]

yes!!! i hate it when they dont show the recipe in grams :(

[@HGrrrr]

Agreed! I’m in the U.S. but completely agree that ALL baking recipes should be by weight. Get with it Epicurious

[@elizabethheyenga9277]

pretty easy adjustment.... not worth the whine :)

[@craigwilson4903]

For US butter, 1 tbsp (14.8 ml) weighs 14.2 g. Of course, if UK butter has a different density, that number may be off a little. I agree with you, I would much rather have all my amounts be metric.

[@jessebeegee]

a stick of butter is 1/2 cup is 113 g, i hope they make google available on your island soon

[@harutran4703]

I love videos like these! Can we do a recipe for carrot cake or banana bread next?😄

[@rheonotic]

BA's Best Banana Bread is my go-to and it's awesome. They had a video with Carla making it a while back. That said I wouldn't mind an updated one or certainly a carrot cake.

[@zhuwawaguz]

Carrot cake sounds nice!

[@dallasoliver]

Make this a series!!!

[@Jenaklcheung]

100% need more Kendra. LOVED this episode

[@DeeDee-yb8hn]

Adore Kendra!! This is a great episode! 20:11

[@JimMcGrath25]

Thank you Kendra. You are a joy to watch. Your pain is our gain!

[@arborealscout4252]

The "inverted" crusts was also facilitated by the fact that you used those cross-shaped parchments, so the crust was never adhered to the pan and the liquid could just run off and under, duh.

[@michaelbelle4702]

Such an amazing effort.

[@berryboy888]

I feel like she could've saved a lot of time by just asking any Southerner.

[@neelzcs8722]

First time seeing Kendra and now I'm 100% team Kendra.

[@kevincinnamontoast3669]

Your saga of the Perkins bar reminds me of the time I hiked out of the,San Juan mountains in Co. I lost a foot to frostbite so I totally get your struggle.

[@stellaz2595]

Adding lemon zest and decreasing the juice is worth trying, The recipe I make uses two teaspoons of zest and two tablespoons of juice.

[@DumebiN]

I haven’t watched Bon Appétit in awhile but I enjoyed this video

[@evolancer211]

I love videos with Chris, great source is knowledge and a funny guy

[@tiacho2893]

Chris' expert palate will always give you constructive criticism.

[@zeke7237]

I made these today, and reading the comments on the bon appetit site had me a bit worried. They turned out excellent for me, though I decided to gently heat the lemon mixture (to about 75F) before pouring it in

[@anarchist_parable]

It's not the format of the show but the vibe she's giving is legitimately reminiscent of Claire's. Like it kind of feels like that's what she's going for. I can't tell if she's being entirely herself or not.

[@tyannaclark1196]

It's like the youtubers who copy Casey Nesitat…. They know what they are doing here.

[@bamigboyeakinkunmi9539]

Finally, I've found something interesting to watch on ba again! ❤

[@LazyHappyCooking]

I definitely will be trying thissssss asap! 😍

[@michaelbaxter4101]

Epitome of when life gives you lemons 🤣🤣. Kendra you delivered 🎉

[@danbrad9288]

Excellent, excellent episode.

[@ian3314]

This was a great video BA. Kendra is super fun and charming to watch. Thanks!

[@mitchieee]

I just tried making these. I think the issue of the lemon bars turning upside down is the crust floats on the liquid. More dense crust / heavy packing the crust down.

[@carolrrrrr]

When life hands you lemons make lemon bars… ❤😊 love this video!

[@DogMonG9]

너무 맛있겠다~~

[@keziaputri7220]

This needs to be a regular show

[@ralphtrites3724]

You did not fail, you learned ways not to bake lemon bars & got an oven in the BA kitchen fixed!

[@brynezuege6495]

Try using a Manual Egg Shakers, Egg White and Yolk Spin Mixer Egg Scrambler for Making Hard Boiled Golden Eggs, to mix the eggs while minimizing air added to the mix.

[@suhben]

My current favorite dessert got a dedicated video!

[@ralsharp6013]

Lemons and Limes... both are delicious 😋

[@tabathaogost4982]

I love that she believes we are all following along with her ingredient calculations

[@fenshipismagic]

i've made lemon bars that look like her worst ones, glad to see i'm not alone

[@delhatton]

True empiricism. Very interesting. But what precisely was the problem with the oven?

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Love your content 😊😊😊❤❤❤

[@ivafi5591]

love love this video! :)

[@francismartinez6250]

I loved this video ❤

[@LockUpCats]

We haven't seen u in a while, and we're glad u r here.

[@user-yd4qi2eu1o]

More Kendra videos please.

[@Rylos277]

This was a lot of fun to watch, I only watched cause the great algorithm decided I should; now I want to go make lemon bars!

[@MatthiaGryffine]

My mother would have something to say about this being a perfect Lemon bar

[@toddyoung569]

LOL, What a ride! Kudos!

[@zynthio]

Kendra is a great host! I don't know how long she's been doing videos on the channel but I like her. I haven't watched any bon appetit since all that drama and nonsense happened a couple years ago.

[@happygucci5094]

Kendra is my Bon Apetit spirit animal.

[@allythearts5439]

Lemon lemons & more lemons The Color is amazing

[@daveseff1]

Kendra is my favorite among the new members.

[@cragbot1]

made these for easter dessert absolutely incredible

[@nikijunk]

You are my lemon bar soul sister! Goals: 1) perfectly balanced flavor 2) crust 3) aesthetic

[@elifhentschel]

Kendra is incredibly likeable. I would like to see her more on this channel!

[@GlenWooden67]

"How did she get this job???!".... "I'm trying my best!"... That's what we were afraid of... :) Loved the video - great info and presentation style!

[@luvsongsandmusic]

And KZbin literally pops up Claire's video on making lemon bars. Competition much?

[@NuevaBestia]

I can smell the faint smell of 9 to 5 office coffee in the sound engineering of this video. It's giving "no complaints".

[@alybleas]

In Australia we call these 'lemon slice'. Donna Hays is the best - hers is a curd that you cook once. I've tried others. Hers is the best.

[@errhah]

Just checking If B.A. is dead....Yep it is.

[@dcklein85]

I make mine with half lemon juice, half lime juice. But I like a really acidic lemon bar.

[@Sweepout]

I can already tell this wouldnt be for me! LOL I am so into citrus I feel like I could straight up add citric acid to make it more tart. There is no such thing as too lemony for me. Lol

[@remus1478]

mmmmmmmmm Kendra. Delicious! 😋

[@matthewpacephotographer]

I would like to see the final photograph being done...I think it's just as important as compliment to the chef and baker.

[@christinegallagher2469]

I've never made a lemon bar where the (not pre-cooked) filling isn't poured onto a HOT crust...