May in Wisconsin is a magical time of year. The sun stays out longer, the temperatures are just right, and the landscape turns a lush, vibrant green. But for us, it’s not just the arrival of spring that excites us—it's rhubarb season, a time to pull out Grandma's cherished recipe box and bring her classic desserts to life.
Handwritten rhubarb recipes fill up a disproportionate section of our Grandma Elvira's “dessert” recipe box. (Yes, she had a recipe box dedicated strictly to desserts.) There are recipes for rhubarb meringue pie, rhubarb kuchen, rhubarb cake but our all-time favorite is rhubarb custard bars.
These bars are a true labor of love, combining a flaky crust with a creamy rhubarb custard filling. They’re the perfect blend of tart and sweet, with a texture that’s light yet satisfying. But when we made these bars for the first time using our Royal Guernsey Creamery artisan butter, we were amazed at the difference it made.
The Secret Ingredient: Royal Guernsey Artisan Butter
Royal Guernsey butter is European-style, meaning it has a higher fat content than typical American butters. This slight increase in fat percentage makes all the difference in baked goods like rhubarb custard bars. The crust becomes flakier and more robust, holding up against the creamy custard filling without turning soggy. Plus, the extra richness and depth of flavor elevate the entire dessert.
The reduced water content in Royal Guernsey butter is another game-changer. It reduces the risk of a mushy crust, ensuring that your rhubarb custard bars stay perfectly intact—even the next day. And the flavor? Simply phenomenal. It’s no wonder, considering our cream comes straight from our farm and is churned into butter within hours of milking our herd of cows.
Here's what you can expect when making these bars using Royal Guernsey Creamery artisan butter:
- Flaky Crust: Thanks to the high-fat content, the crust turns out light and flaky, providing the perfect base for your bars.
- Creamy Custard: The lower water content ensures that your custard sets beautifully without making the crust soggy.
- Phenomenal Flavor: The rich, buttery flavor from the high-quality cream gives these bars a depth and complexity that is truly unparalleled.
So, as you enjoy the warmer days and lush scenery of a Wisconsin May, make sure to celebrate rhubarb season with a batch of rhubarb custard bars. Print Grandma's recipe, reach for Royal Guernsey Creamery artisan butter, and savor the taste of tradition. We promise, you'll never go back to ordinary butter for baking again.
