grapefruit bars.

Grapefruit gets very little love.  Usually it's regaled to the world of breakfast diet food which is rather unfortunate since it can and should be used for so much more.  While thinking about lemon bars last week (the reason being I had a super fabulous one from Thirty Acres in Jersey City which if you haven't been yet I suggest you go because they are doing some pretty wonderful things) I got to pondering why you never see blood orange bars or grapefruit bars, why does the lemon get all the love.  I think the issue with other citrus fruits is that the ratio can't be 1 to 1 (trust me I made the first batch trying that and it tasted like barely any fruit at all), you need to concentrate the juice of the grapefruit my boiling it down to half or even more (the more concentrated the more flavor!).  Once you concentrate it down you can use it as you would lemon juice (or in conjunction with lemon juice!) which makes for a pretty magical bar.    

Grapefruit Bars
Recipe adapted from/inspired by here and here!

I suggest concentrating the grapefruit juice down by at least half if not more to really allow the flavor to come through.  I also think blood oranges would be beautiful in a bar like this!  Really the possibilities are endless.   To concentrate the juice you simply boil the juice down over medium-low heat, stirring on occasion until it reduces by half.  Pretty simple! 

For the crust

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup (125 grams) flour

For the grapefruit layer

2 large eggs
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
6 tablespoons concentrated grapefruit juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup (40 grams) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon grapefruit zest, lemon zest or a combination of both
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with parchment, letting it extend up two sides. Butter or coat the bottom and sides with a nonstick spray and set the pan aside.

Make the base: In a food processor, pulse together the sugar, zest and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse until it is evenly dispersed in the dough. Add the flour and pulse the machine until it’s just combined and the mixture is crumbly. Press the dough into the prepared pan and about 1/2-inch up the sides. Don’t worry about making this perfect. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly browned at edges. Let cool on a rack while you prepare the filling (though no need for it to be completely cool when you fill it). Leave oven on.

Make the grapefruit layer: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and grapefruit/lemon juice until smooth. Mix in citrus zest. Stir in flour. Pour into cooling crust and return pan to the oven, baking the bars until they’re set (they’ll barely jiggle) and slightly golden at the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into rectangles. (You can speed this up in the fridge.)

Cut them in squares. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Store in fridge for up to a week.