Bursting with bright, floral flavor, these perfectly gooey square treats are traditional lemon bars elevated to extraordinary creations befitting an elegant spring fête.
Meyer Lemon–Hibiscus Squares
Serves: approximately 40
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest
- 1 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons dried hibiscus powder
- Garnish: confectioners’ sugar and edible flowers*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13x9-inch metal baking pan with foil, letting excess foil hang over sides of pan.
- In a large bowl, beat together butter and 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar with a mixer at medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour and salt. With mixer at low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating just until combined. Press dough into bottom of prepared pan.
- Bake until lightly browned, approximately 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
- In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 2 cups granulated sugar and remaining 1⁄2 cup flour. Whisk in eggs, lemon zest and juice, and hibiscus powder until combined. Pour filling onto cooled crust.
- Bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Using excess foil as handles, lift and remove dessert from pan and onto a cutting surface. Using a sharp knife in a downward motion, trim and discard rough edges. Cut dessert into 1 1⁄2-inch squares. Serve immediately, or place in an airtight container, refrigerate, and serve within 5 days.
- Just before serving, garnish with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and with edible flowers, if desired.
Notes
*We used Gourmet Sweet Botanicals micro star flowers, available at 800-931-7530, gourmetsweetbotanicals.com.
What hibiscus powder did you use?
Hi there! We checked with our Test Kitchen on this, and the hibiscus powder we used was from either Walmart or Amazon. Unfortunately we don’t remember the exact brand, since this recipe was developed a couple years ago, but you can use any brand of your choosing.