Grapefruit Bars Citrus Custard (Printable)
Buttery crust meets tangy grapefruit custard in these vibrant citrus bars.
# What You Need:
→ Shortbread Crust
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - ½ cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - ¼ tsp salt
→ Grapefruit Filling
05 - 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
06 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour
07 - 4 large eggs
08 - ¾ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
09 - 1 tbsp grapefruit zest
10 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
→ Finishing
11 - Powdered sugar for dusting
# How-To Steps:
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 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 - 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 Tips:
01 -
- These bars strike that perfect balance between sweet and tangy that keeps you coming back for just one more
- The shortbread crust is practically foolproof and adds such a wonderful tender contrast to the silky filling
02 -
- Do not skip the step of pouring filling over hot crust or they will not adhere properly and you will have a soggy messy layer situation
- Let these cool completely before cutting or they will fall apart and you will end up with delicious but ugly crumbles instead of neat bars
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients incorporate more easily, so pull your butter and eggs out about an hour before you start
- A fine mesh sieve makes the most even and beautiful powdered sugar dusting, just tap it gently over the bars