Lilikoi Bars (Hawaiʻi Local Passion Fruit Shortbread Bars)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-by-13-inch metal baking pan
• •Fine-mesh strainer for fresh lilikoi pulp
• •Parchment paper with overhang
• •Offset spatula or flat-bottomed measuring cup for pressing the crust

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat and line

   Heat the oven to 350F. Line a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with parchment, leaving handles on two sides, and lightly butter the exposed ends. This is a potluck bar, so make it easy to lift clean and cut straight.

2. 2

   Press the crust

   Beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup sugar until creamy, then mix in 2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt until the dough looks sandy and starts clumping when you squeeze it. Press it firmly into the pan in an even layer, all the way to the corners. No need make it precious, just make it level.

3. 3

   Bake the base

   Bake the crust for 18 to 22 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the center looks dry and set. It should smell buttery and warm, not browned deep like a cookie. While it bakes, make the lilikoi filling so the curd can go onto a hot crust.

   A hot crust helps the filling grip instead of sliding around in layers. Small thing, big difference.
4. 4

   Strain the lilikoi

   If you're using fresh lilikoi, scoop the pulp into a strainer and press until you have 1/2 cup bright juice. Keep a few seeds only if you like that backyard look, but strain most of them out so the bars cut clean. Wrinkled fruit gives the strongest perfume. Eat what you have, but choose the fruit that smells alive.

5. 5

   Whisk the curd

   Whisk the eggs and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth, then whisk in the lilikoi juice, lemon or lime juice, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the melted butter. The mixture should be glossy, golden, and loose, with no dry flour pockets. That tart smell should come up before it ever hits the oven.

6. 6

   Bake until set

   Pour the filling over the hot crust and return the pan to the oven. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are set and the center gives a soft wobble when you nudge the pan. Don't wait for it to go firm in the oven. It finishes as it cools, and if you push it too far the curd turns tough.

7. 7

   Cool and chill

   Cool the pan at room temperature for 1 hour, then chill at least 1 hour more. The top will settle into a smooth golden sheen and the shortbread will firm enough for clean squares. This is the hard part, yeah? The waiting. But the bar cuts better when you let it rest.

8. 8

   Cut and share

   Lift the slab out by the parchment, dust with powdered sugar if you want, and cut into 16 squares with a warm, wiped knife. Serve chilled or cool, stacked on a plate for the table. One for now, one for the auntie who sent the lilikoi over the fence.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh lilikoi should feel heavy and smell sharp-floral at the stem end. Wrinkled skin is not a flaw here. No blame the fruit for looking old when that's when it tastes ready.
• •Use unsweetened passion fruit puree if fresh lilikoi is not around. If the puree is sweetened, cut the filling sugar by 2 to 4 tablespoons and taste the juice before you mix.
• •A metal pan gives the shortbread a cleaner bottom than glass. If you use glass, expect a few extra minutes and watch the crust color, not the clock.
• •Powdered sugar melts into the curd if the bars are warm. Dust right before serving, or leave them plain and let the lilikoi shine.
• •These are Hawaiʻi Local sweets, bakery-case food, not deep food from the canoe. We can love them without pretending they are older than they are.

Advance Preparation

• •Strain fresh lilikoi juice up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, or freeze it in 1/2-cup portions for future pans.
• •Bake the bars the day before a picnic or potluck. Chill overnight, then cut cold for the cleanest edges.
• •Store cut bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, with parchment between layers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 75g)