Passion Fruit (Lilikoi) Bars

4.91 from 11 votes

These easy Passion Fruit Bars feature a buttery shortbread cookie crust and a gooey and rich passion fruit curd filling. This tropical twist on the classic lemon bars tastes just like a much-needed vacation!

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Cooling Time 3

Total Time 3 50

Servings servings

Calories 190

Author Jessica Kwon

Equipment

8x8 baking dish

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
¼ cup white granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
⅛ teaspoon salt

Passion Fruit Batter

4 eggs room temperature
½ cup passion fruit purée (see notes)
1½ cups white granulated sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour sifted
Powdered sugar for topping (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil and line an 8x8 baking dish with foil or parchment paper, making sure to leave a generous amount of overhang.
In a food processor or stand mixer, cream butter and ¼ cup sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Then add sifted 1 cup flour and salt. Pulse until the dough is crumbly and the size of small pebbles, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Transfer the dough to the lined baking dish. Use your fingers to gently flatten dough along the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are very lightly golden. Let cool.
While the crust is cooling, whisk eggs and passion fruit juice in a large bowl until frothy and homogenous. Whisk constantly while gradually adding in the 1½ cups sugar, followed by the sifted ¼ cup flour.
Once the crust is done, carefully pour the passion fruit batter into the pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until edges are set and center is still a little jiggly. Let cool on the countertop for an hour, then place in the fridge for 1-2 hours, best if overnight.
Remove the bars from the pan and cut into 2 inch squares. Option to sprinkle powdered sugar over the top. Serve chilled.

Notes

Passion fruit: For convenience, I use frozen seedless passion fruit purée from Whole Foods. Simply microwave or thaw in the fridge until liquid and let cool.
- Various brands of passion fruit purée can be found in Latin, Asian, or Caribbean markets.
- I don't recommend using passion fruit juice as it can contain other fruit flavorings and the consistency will be too thin.
- If using fresh passion fruit, cut one in half and scoop the seeds into a food processor. Lightly pulse a couple times to pull the pulp away from the seeds. Pour into a strainer on top of a bowl, and use the back of a spoon to press on the seeds to extract the pulp. You'll need about 5-6 lilikoi for ½ cup juice.
If using salted butter, skip the added salt.

Nutrition