Lilikoi Bar Dessert Recipe: the sweet & tart taste of Hawaii

This is possibly my very most favorite dessert recipe EVER! The sweet citrus tartness of the Lilikoi paired with a hint of lemon and the perfect shortbread crust. So delicious! It is indeed like having a bite of Hawaii at home. In order to get fresh lilikoi you will either need to grow your own or... order them online.

This recipe is a combination of two different recipes - but the main part was followed from the recipe listed over at  Little Ferraro Kitchen.

Ingredients

Crust
• 1/2 lb butter, room temperature
• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 c flour, sifted (don't skip this)
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
Filling
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 c sugar
• 1 c fresh lilikoi juice (about 10-12 lilikoi)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
Glaze
• 1/4 c water
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1/4 c fresh lilikoi fruit juice  or use the Maguary Passion Fruit Concentrate
• Juice of 1/4 lemon

Instructions

1. First, make the lilikoi juice. Cut each fruit in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds..
2.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
3. For the crust, cream the butter and sugar in mixer untily light with paddle attachment
4. Combine the flour and salt and sift into the mixer on low, add to the butter mixture until just mixed.
5. Form dough into ball with well floured hands. Flatten the dough and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides.
6. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes (or speed it up in the freezer for 15 minutes).
7. For the filling, Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lilikoi juice (I like to keep the seeds in it), lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour.
8. Pour over the crust and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool.
9. For the Lilikoi Glaze, boil water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes.
10. Add passion fruit and lemon juice and boil for a further 3 minutes. It will boil rapidly and looks like it expanded.
11. Remove from heat and allow to cool. It will turn into a thick and sugary passion fruit syrup.
12. Allow to cool and drizzle over lilikoi bars
13. Time to gobble them up!

-Simply Sublime