Dessertscoleycooks
Grapefruit Bars
These vibrant lemon grapefruit bars are a fresh and unique twist on the iconic citrus dessert. A buttery, crisp shortbread crust gets topped with a silky citrus curd made from both grapefruit and lemon for a flavor that’s bright, complex, and far more interesting than the usual lemon bar. It's a great make-ahead dessert that's perfect for brightening up those cold winter months when citrus is at its best!
👥 12 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 1h 15m⏳ Prep: 20 min🔥 Cook: 55 min👤 Nicole Gaffney📖 coleycooks
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- pan
- oven
- saucepan
- whisk
- spatula
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Make the Crust
2
Preheat the oven to 325°F and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang for easy removal.
3
Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about ⏱️ 2 minutes.
butter (unsalted, softened to room temperature)10 tablespoonsbutter (unsalted )5 tablespoonspowdered sugar3 tablespoonspowdered sugar (for dusting)granulated sugar2 tablespoons
4
Add the salt and about half of the flour, then mix until just incorporated. Add the remaining flour and mix until barely combined. Overmixing will result in a tough crust.
5
Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake until the edges are lightly golden, about ⏱️ 30 minutes. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
6
Make the Filling
7
Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a nonreactive medium saucepan.
egg yolks (large )6
8
Place over medium-low heat and whisk in the grapefruit juice, lemon juice, and salt.
lemon juice (or Meyer lemon juice)2 tablespoons
9
Switch to a rubber spatula and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about ⏱️ 8-10 minutes. Do not let it boil and scrape the bottom and sides of the pan continually to keep the eggs from scrambling.
10
Stir in the butter one tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated.
butter (unsalted, softened to room temperature)10 tablespoonsbutter (unsalted )5 tablespoons
11
Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits of curdled egg. Stir in the lemon zest and grapefruit zest.
lemon zest (or Meyer lemon zest)1 teaspoongrapefruit zest1 teaspoon
12
Lower the oven temperature to 300°F. Pour the grapefruit curd over the cooled crust and spread into an even layer. Bake for about ⏱️ 20-25 minutes, until just set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
13
Let cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar and slice into bars. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
powdered sugar3 tablespoonspowdered sugar (for dusting)
Nutrition Facts
calories
272 kcal
fat Content
17 g
serving Size
1 serving
fiber Content
0.4 g
sugar Content
18 g
sodium Content
104 mg
protein Content
3 g
trans Fat Content
1 g
cholesterol Content
135 mg
carbohydrate Content
28 g
saturated Fat Content
10 g
unsaturated Fat Content
6 g
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