Grapefruit Bars Citrus Dessert (Printable Version)
Vibrant citrus bars with buttery shortbread crust and tangy grapefruit custard filling. Perfectly sweet-tart balance.
# What You Need:
→ For the Shortbread Crust
01 - 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
02 - ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
04 - ¼ tsp salt
→ For the Grapefruit Filling
05 - 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
06 - ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
07 - 4 large eggs
08 - ¾ cup (180 ml) freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (about 2 grapefruits)
09 - 1 tbsp grapefruit zest
10 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
→ For Finishing
11 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar for the crust until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt, mixing until just combined.
03 - Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 18–20 minutes or until lightly golden at the edges.
04 - While the crust bakes, prepare the filling. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar and flour. Add eggs, grapefruit juice, grapefruit zest, and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth and fully combined.
05 - Pour filling over the hot crust immediately after it comes out of the oven.
06 - Return pan to the oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the center is just set (it should not jiggle excessively).
07 - Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, lift out using the parchment overhang and cut into bars.
08 - Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
# Expert Tricks:
01 -
- The filling sets into the most silky smooth custard that practically melts on your tongue
- They strike that elusive balance where neither the tartness nor the sweetness overpowers the other
02 -
- Pouring the filling onto a hot crust is the secret to that seamless layer where filling meets crust
- The center should still have a tiny bit of wobble when you remove it from the oven or it will turn rubbery
03 -
- Zest your grapefruit before juicing, it's so much easier to handle when the fruit is still firm and whole
- If you want extra pink color without artificial food coloring, toss in a few diced strawberries