California Passion Fruit Bars
These are best served cold. Store the pan of baked bars in the refrigerator and cut and dust them with powdered sugar just before serving.
Brown Sugar Shortbread Crust
- 1 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry measuring cups to overflowing and level off; 5 ounces by weight))
- 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, sliced into 6 pieces
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh passion fruit juice (from about 8 passion fruit; pulse seedy fruit a few times to juicify the pulp into juice; strain to remove seeds) or bottled passion fruit juice (see Final Note at end of recipe)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Powdered sugar for dusting or sour cream
Adjust an oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with two 16-inch lengths of aluminum foil, criss-crossing them into the pan with the excess projecting about 2 inches above the pan edges. Coat lightly with cooking spray.
For the shortbread crust, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and salt and add the butter. Work the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips or a pastry blender until the butter is broken up into medium-size pieces, about ¼-inch. If your kitchen is warm, and you find the butter getting too soft while you work it, put the bowl into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the crumbs into the prepared baking pan. Press firmly and evenly on the bottom to make a compact layer. You’ll see pieces of butter here and there.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
While the crust bakes, whisk the eggs and egg yolk in a medium bowl to combine well. Add the granulated sugar and whisk in well. Add the passion fruit juice and flour and whisk until smooth. Try not to create large bubbles. Pour over the hot crust and return the pan to the oven.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and continue baking until the filling is set, about 30 minutes. If you jiggle the pan the filling should not budge.
Cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for an hour or two until cold. If you want to serve the next day, cover the pan tightly with foil and refrigerate.
Lift the dessert out of the pan by the foil ends and carefully peel foil away from the sides of the crust. With a wide metal spatula, carefully transfer the uncut sweet to a cutting board. Put a few tablespoons of powdered sugar into a small strainer, and dust onto the dessert. Or spread with a thin layer of sour cream. Cut into bars without a sharp knife.
Makes 8 to 12 bars.
