Grapefruit Shortbread Bars

I've relayed to you my penchant for apple cinnamony things. You know what's also up there? Citrus. You know what's also in season pretty much year-round? That's right--pucker up, y'all. I started thinking about doing something with citrus when I was running around our local farmer's market a few weeks ago. Although I really long for the summery days when the stalls are overflowing with zucchini, tomato, and corn, I still go in the winter because I gotta get outta the house every once in a while with this baby, and because the eggs are absolutely ridiculous. Yard eggs, farmed eggs, whatever they are. They're amazing and beautiful, and I love them over easy (whites cooked all the way through fortheloveofallthatisholy!) on some avocado toast. Or some sauteed spinach and mushrooms. Or on, like, just a plate. In any case, if you have the opportunity to support your local farmers and get some delicious eggs that were probably laid yesterday, I highly suggest you do.

Anyway, in addition to the eggs, I also got some citrus--grapefruit. I feel as though grapefruit don't get as much love as the lemon in baking. Or as much as the blood orange, which I see everywhere in blog recipes, but I have yet to find a blood orange in my local area (although if you do happen upon them, lemme know, because I've got plans laid out...). The grapefruit is like the citrus people eat while they're dieting, and it doesn't have to be! Just as it has a place next to the dieter's fat-free cottage cheese and hard-boiled egg breakfast, it has a place in delicious baked goods. Case in point--these grapefruit bars. They're a play on the classic lemon bar, which I love.

 Like lemon bars, these have a basic shortbread crust that comes together easily. The filling is tart, sweet, and rich. When I first tested this recipe and brought it out along with the salted caramel pretzel brownie and king cupcakes, I honestly thought it would be overlooked. I was pleasantly surprised to find that people seemed more eager to try the grapefruit bar than either of the other two. Perhaps they shared my love of citrus, or perhaps they were simply curious--either way, those who tried it definitely seemed to enjoy it. I know I did.

I juiced the grapefruit with this helpful guy I bought at Publix. 

Grapefruit Bars

Ingredients

Crust

Cooking spray

1 ½ sticks cold butter, diced
2 c AP flour
¼ c. light brown sugar, packed
½ c. powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt

Filling

4 large eggs + 2 yolks
1 ¾ c. granulated sugar
½ c. all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tsp. grapefruit zest
1 ½ c. freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice (about 2 large grapefruit)
¼ c. full-fat coconut milk
¼ c. pomegranate arils (optional, not pictured)
powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with tin foil (leave a couple inches hanging over the side to allow you to lift out of the pan later) and spray with cooking spray or grease with butter/oil of your choosing. Set aside.

Crust prep.

Raw crust after pressing into dish.

Place butter, flour, sugars, and salt in food processor and pulse until the dough starts to come together in crumbles. Alternatively, you can do this part by hand, whisking the dry ingredients together first and then cutting the butter into the (using a fork or your hands). Press the mixture into the prepared dish, making sure to push it about ½” up the sides of the dish as well as along the bottom. If it was mixed by hand, you may want to pop the dish in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before baking. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Filling prep part one.

Filling prep part two.

While crust is baking, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and yolks, sugar, and flour until the mixture is smooth. Then whisk in zest, juice, and coconut milk until combined.

Filling excited to go into that golden and warm pre-baked crust! 

Once crust is done baking, reduce oven temperature to 300 F. Pour the filling mixture into the crust while it’s still pretty warm. Bake until just set, which should take about 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle arils (not pictured) onto the filling after at about 20 minutes into baking, before filling is completely set. Allow bars to cool to room temperature in pan on a rack. Then refrigerate for at least an hour before cutting. Dust with powdered sugar immediately before serving.  

Just out of the oven before cooling/chilling.

Cut up, dusted with powdered sugar, and ready to treat some people!

Citrusy sunshine and buttery shortbread comin atcha!