Earl Grey Guava Lemon Bars (Printable Version)

Floral Earl Grey meets tropical guava and bright lemon in these sophisticated dessert bars.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 Earl Grey tea bag, contents only

→ Guava Layer

06 - 1 cup guava paste, cut into small cubes
07 - 2 tablespoons water

→ Lemon-Earl Grey Filling

08 - 4 large eggs
09 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
10 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
11 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
12 - 1 Earl Grey tea bag, contents only
13 - 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
14 - Zest of 1 lemon
15 - Pinch of salt

→ Finishing

16 - Powdered sugar for dusting

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour, salt, and Earl Grey tea bag contents. Mix until crumbly dough forms.
03 - Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden around edges.
04 - While crust bakes, combine guava paste and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until paste melts into thick, spreadable consistency. Remove from heat.
05 - Carefully spread melted guava paste evenly over hot crust immediately after removing from oven.
06 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, Earl Grey tea bag contents, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Whisk until fully incorporated.
07 - Pour filling over guava layer and return pan to oven. Bake for 15-18 minutes until center is just set and does not jiggle when gently shaken.
08 - Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.
09 - Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 16 squares. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours perfecting it, but the technique is genuinely forgiving if you just follow along.
  • The combination of Earl Grey's subtle perfume with guava's warmth and lemon's punch feels fancy enough for guests, yet deeply satisfying to eat alone with tea.
02 -
  • If you skip the full 2 hour chill time, the bars will taste good but they'll crack when you cut them, so trust the refrigerator here.
  • The guava layer is crucial for keeping the filling tender and preventing it from sinking through to the crust, don't skip it or treat it as optional.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs are non negotiable for the filling, they whisk into a smooth batter without lumps and bake into that perfect custardy texture.
  • A sharp knife dipped in warm water between each cut gives you clean edges that don't drag the filling around and create a messy appearance.
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