Pink Grapefruit Bars

Pink grapefruit bars might just be (one of) my new favorite things. I might not have been able to tell you, prior to yesterday, that I am a huge fan of a sweet, butter-y, crisp, but with a slight chew, crust topped with a creamy (and dreamy) tart, grapefruit-flavored “custard,” as it were, but I am able to do so now. I love the textural difference, as well as the difference in flavor, between the sweet crust and the tart topping – and I’m hoping you will, too.

I also love how insanely easy it is to make these bars – did everyone know this about citrus bars except me? That they are basically one-bowl (ish) and the two components (the crust and the filling) each take less than 5 minutes to assemble??  Yes, there is some waiting between stages of the assembly: after the crust is made it does do a stint in the freezer for 30 minutes, before baking for 20. 

But the filling is whisked together in minutes, then poured over the still warm crust and it all goes back to the oven for less than 20 minutes. Another pause in the journey from “I think I want a grapefruit bar” to “I am eating a grapefruit bar” happens after the bar is baked – it needs to come to room temp and then be chilled for at least an hour – but peeps, this is still one of the EASIEST and delicious treats around. Finally, there is no question that I would not have been inspired to make grapefruit bars, had it not been for a group of my blogging pals getting together and celebrating the old mighty grapefruit via the hashtag #greatfruitgrapefruit. So please check out the tag to see all the yumminess.

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5 from 1 vote

Pink Grapefruit Bars

Recipe Author Jessie Sheehan

Ingredients

• For the crust:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar sifted if lumpy
• 2 sticks unsalted butter melted
• For the filling:
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted if lumpy
• 1 Tbsp pink grapefruit zest from about two small grapefruit
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 yolk
• 3/4 cup pink grapefruit juice from about two small grapefruit
• Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Grease an 9x9x2-in. pan with cooking spray or softened butter. Line with parchment paper and set aside.
• Add the flour, salt and sugars to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the melted butter and stir with a rubber spatula. Transfer to the prepared pan and press down with your fingers (or the bottom of a measuring cup) until compact and flat. Poke the dough all over with a fork and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to chill.
• Bake the crust for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown, rotating at the halfway point.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Wipe the large mixing bowl with a paper towel, add the sugars and zest. Whisk to combine and then using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugars. Add the flour and salt and whisk to combine. Add the eggs and yolk, and whisk gently until smooth. You do not want to add extra air into the filling or the tops of the bars will crack while baking. Add the juice and gently whisk a final time.
• Pour the filling over the crust and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the filling has set, and still jiggles just slightly in the center. Do not over bake tor the top might crack. Cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate for about an hour, or until cold, before slicing and serving with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

jk