Classic citrus-spiked bars go from humble to haute with the sweet tart flavour of caramelized grapefruit. Serve as an elegant dessert, or as a sweet treat with a pot of tea.
Makes 24 bars
PREP TIME: 25 minutes
COOKING TIME: about 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
CRUST:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup icing sugar, sifted
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
FILLING:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp finely grated pink grapefruit zest
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- For the crust, in a medium bowl and using an electric mixer, beat the butter until pale and fluffy. Beat in the icing sugar until well combined. Beat in the flour until a soft dough forms.
- Press the dough over the base of a nonstick 13-x 9-inch baking pan. Bake until the crust is light golden, about 20 minutes. Leave the oven switched on.
- For the filling, in a medium bowl and using an electric mixer, beat together the granulated sugar and eggs until blended.
- With the mixer running on low speed, beat in the flour, grapefruit zest and juice, lemon juice and baking powder until well combined.
- Pour the filling over the hot crust. Bake until the filling is set in the center and starting to brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Cut into 24 bars. Remove the bars from the pan and arrange on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the tops of the bars.
- Light a butane kitchen torch and play the flame evenly over the tops of the bars to caramelize the sugar, moving the torch constantly so the sugar doesn’t burn. (Alternatively, caramelize the sugar for a few minutes under a hot broiler.) Allow the caramelized sugar to cool before transferring the bars to a platter. Serve immediately.
