Blood Orange and Honey Squares with Shortbread Crust
Makes 25 squares
For the crust:
3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick of butter, cold and cut into pieces
For the filling:
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
zest from 3 blood oranges + zest from one lemon
juice from 3 blood oranges + juice from one lemon (about 2/3 of a cup)
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Make the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 8 x 8 pan and line with two sheets of parchment paper, then butter the parchment. Set aside. Whisk together the flour, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour until a dough begins to form and the mixture holds together when pressed. If you are feeling lazy, you can also just pulse everything together in the food processor. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom of the pan and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Bake the crust for 20 minutes or until just lightly brown, and reduce the oven to 325.
Make the filling:
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs until they have thickened slightly. Add the sugar, zest, juice, honey, flour, baking powder and salt and beat until smooth.
Pour the filling over the warm crust and bake for 20-25 minutes or until it has set. Let the bars cool, then refrigerate until fully chilled. Cut into squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
P.S. The final product from Friday Crafty Time Hour – pop-up shop signage! Woot!