Bakery-style Calamansi Bars are the ultimate sweet-and-tart treat, featuring a bright, zesty citrus filling baked into a tender, buttery shortbread crust. If you love lemon bars, you need this tropical twist in your life.
Calamansi are hard to come by and rarely available at the Asian grocery stores I frequent, so when I do come across them, I like to stock up on a few pounds to make all my favorite recipes using this citrus.
After enjoying them in sinigang na hipon sa calamansi and substituting them for orange in this calamansi chicken dish, I decided to turn the remaining loot into these buttery, luscious fruit bars.
Ingredient notes
- Butter– use unsalted and add separate salt for precise control of the salt content, ensuring consistency in taste and texture
- All-purpose flour– provides the base for the shortbread crust and helps thicken the calamansi curd filling
- Calamansi juice-while bottled juice or concentrates are convenient, freshly squeezed is best for flavor
- Powdered sugar– also known as confectioner’s sugar. Creates a more tender, melt-in-your-mouth crust and adds a decorative dusting on top of the finished bars.
- Eggs– bind and help set the filling.
- Sugar– balances the tartness of the citrus with sweetness
Shortbread crust
Very simple to make with only four ingredients!
- Combine the crust ingredients into a dough and press evenly into a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking pan. For a tender pastry, do not overwork the dough to prevent gluten formation.
- Pre-bake at moderate heat until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and when warm, pour in the filling.
Calamansi curd filling
These citrus bars are so easy to make, they’re almost goofproof. You don’t even need an electric mixer to pull it all together.
- Whisk all the filling ingredients in a large bowl until smooth and well blended, and pour over the warm crust. Do not overwhip, as this will introduce bubbles.
- Bake until the filling is just set and the center slightly jiggly. It will continue to firm up as it cools. Allow to cool completely at room temperature before wrapping, then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to chill.
- Dust the calamansi bars with confectioner’s sugar when sufficiently cold, and just before serving, to keep the sugar powdery white rather than sticky from excess moisture.
Quick tip
You can line the baking pan with parchment with an overhang on both sides to easily lift the bars.
Serving and storage instructions
- These citrus bars are best enjoyed chilled. They’re delicious as a midday snack or an after-meal dessert with coffee or tea.
- Because they’re made with custard and contain eggs, these bars are not shelf-stable and must be refrigerated for food safety. Transfer them to an airtight container for up to 1 week. Please note that the crust tends to soften and the curd to lose tartness over time.
- For longer storage, place them in a single layer on a baking tray, freeze for about 1 hour until firm, then wrap individually in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator and dust with powdered sugar when ready to serve.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @kawalingpinoy on Facebook and Instagram!
Looking for the perfect citrus dessert? Try this delicious Filipino-inspired twist on traditional lemon bars! Bright, zesty Calamansi Bars with a classic buttery shortbread crust are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Cooling: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 55 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 3 cups sugar
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons flour
- 8 eggs beaten
- 1 ⅓ cup calamansi juice
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
For the Crust
-
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a rectangular pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
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In a bowl, combine butter, flour, sugar, and salt. With hands, mix together until just combined. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and gently press it into the bottom. Using the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass, gently smooth and even out the surface.
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Bake in a 350 F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until firm and lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to slightly cool.
For the Filling
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In a bowl, whisk together sugar and flour. Add eggs and calamansi juice. Whisk together until well blended.
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Pour over the warm crust and bake in a 350°F oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until just set. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely.
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Using a fine mesh sieve, dust the top with powdered sugar when ready to serve. Slice into servings.
Notes
- You can line the baking pan with parchment paper with an overhang on both sides to easily lift the bars.
- Dust the calamansi bars with confectioner’s sugar when sufficiently cold, and just before serving, to keep the sugar powdery white rather than sticky from excess moisture.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 735kcal, Carbohydrates: 115g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 225mg, Sodium: 392mg, Potassium: 153mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 83g, Vitamin A: 949IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 3mg
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”