Texas Pink Grapefruit Bars (ATK)

• portions: 16 bars

Ingrédients

Crust

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

Filling

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons grated zest plus 2/3 cup juice from 1 large pink grapefruit

2 teaspoons grated zest plus 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lime

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 drops red food coloring (optional)

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 8 by 8-inch baking pan (see note on page 4). Combine flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt in food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture firmly into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly.

2. For the filling: Meanwhile, cook all ingredients except confectioners' sugar in medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until pudding-like consistency, 6 to 8 minutes. Strain over warm crust and spread into even layer.

3. Bake until filling is set, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours. Cut into 2-inch squares. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Notes

Camilla writes: "This recipe is similar to a lemon square, but with a Texas twist. The addition of cardamom in the crust enhances the citrus flavor even more."

Note: For all bar cookies, spray baking pan with cooking spray and line with aluminum foil, allowing excess to overhang pan edges. Spray foil with cooking spray. Once bar cookies have been baked and cooled, use foil overhang to lift bars from pan. (All bar cookies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Cooks country 2007 June/ July