Zesty Grapefruit Bars Recipe

There's a good chance that you're familiar with lemon bars — and if not, picture delicious bar desserts that have a shortbread crust and a lemon curd on top. But did you know that you can make these kinds of bars with other fruit too? In fact, a curd can be made out of pretty much any fruit. The best curds actually have a tart flavor, which means that zesty grapefruit lends itself perfectly to making curds from. Grapefruits, which are a hybrid of the pomelo and the sweet orange, are a perfect blend of sweet and tart and aren't used nearly enough in baked goods.

With this lack of grapefruit representation in mind, recipe developer Jessica Morone created these zesty grapefruit bars. The buttery shortbread crust is a perfect foundation for the zesty, tangy grapefruit filling. And with their pink hue, these bars are not only visually appealing, but they are really simple to make and also offer a slightly more nuanced citrus flavor compared to traditional lemon bars. This recipe is perfect for anyone who enjoys the bold taste of grapefruit and are looking for a new way to incorporate it into their recipe collection. 

There are two components that make up these grapefruit bars: the shortbread crust and the grapefruit curd. For the shortbread crust, all that is needed is flour, powdered sugar, salt, butter, vanilla extract, and grapefruit zest. The grapefruit curd will require sugar, grapefruit juice, eggs, flour, grapefruit zest, and red or pink food coloring. 

How many grapefruits you will need for the juice will depend on the size and juiciness of the grapefruit you use. You could get the 1 cup of juice from one especially large juicy grapefruit, or you may need to use up to three grapefruits to get the correct amount of juice. For the food coloring, red will cause the bars to be more of an orange color and pink will keep them a bit more pastel. The food coloring will give the bars a nice color, but it can be left out if you don't want to add additional color to these bars. 

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

Make the crust: In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, salt, and zest.

Mix in the melted butter and vanilla extract until well combined.

Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until golden.

Meanwhile, make the grapefruit curd: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, grapefruit juice, eggs, flour, zest, and food coloring until smooth.

Pour the curd filling over the warm crust.

Place the pan back in the oven and bake for an additional 20-22 minutes, until the center is set.

Let the bars cool for an hour at room temperature before chilling for at least 2 hours.

Slice and serve. Top with additional powdered sugar if desired.

There are many different types of grapefruit out there. Some are sweeter, some are more tart, there are red versions and white versions, there are versions that taste more like oranges and there are even some hybrids crossed with things like tangerines. Red grapefruits are the sweeter option, and the kind you are most likely to think of when you imagine grapefruits.  

Ruby red grapefruit is the most common variety found in grocery stores in the U.S., so that is what you are most likely to buy for these bars if you are just grabbing some grapefruit from the store. But you aren't limited to using that type of grapefruit in these bars. You can use any kind of grapefruit that you like for these. Just keep in mind that if you use a more tart grapefruit but want to have sweeter bars, you will have to add more sugar to the curd. On the other hand, if you want them to be more tart and use a sweet grapefruit you should add less sugar, or you could even swap in some of the grapefruit juice for lemon juice. 

These bars should be stored similarly and will last about as long as lemon bars. If you are planning to eat leftovers in a short period of time after making them, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They will last in the fridge for up to one week. If you want to stack these, you should use a piece of parchment paper between each layer. And because any powdered sugar on top of these bars will be absorbed, you should sprinkle more powdered sugar on  top right before you eat the leftovers. 

These bars can also be frozen for up to three months. The whole batch can be wrapped in plastic wrap if you want to make them in advance. Or you can cut them and individually wrap leftovers in plastic wrap before putting them in an airtight container and freezing them. Thaw them before eating them, or they can even be eaten frozen for something a little different and refreshing.