Earl Grey Guava Lemon Bars (Print)

Sophisticated dessert layers featuring buttery Earl Grey crust, sweet guava, and tangy lemon filling finished with powdered sugar.

# Ingredients:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, cream 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 prepared pan bottom. Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden around edges.
04 - While crust bakes, combine guava paste and water in small saucepan over low heat. Stir until melted into thick, spreadable consistency. Remove from heat.
05 - Spread melted guava paste evenly over hot crust immediately after removal from oven.
06 - In large bowl, whisk 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. Return pan to oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until center is just set and no longer jiggles when shaken gently.
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.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The Earl Grey tea whispers through every layer without overpowering—you get elegance without pretension.
  • Guava and lemon together create this unexpected brightness that keeps people guessing what makes it taste so good.
  • These bars are sturdy enough to pack for picnics but fancy enough to serve at your nicest dinner parties.
02 -
  • The filling will look slightly underbaked compared to traditional lemon bars, but that's intentional—the carryover heat sets it just right, and the result is silky instead of cakey.
  • If you skip the full chilling time, the bars fall apart when you cut them, so patience really does pay off here.
03 -
  • Steep two Earl Grey tea bags directly in the lemon juice for 10 minutes if you love the tea flavor more boldly—it deepens the entire filling into something almost luxurious.
  • A tiny pinch of cardamom in the crust transforms the whole experience, adding an unexpected warmth that nobody can quite identify.
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