Hello lovelies,
There’s been one fruit I’ve wanted to bake with for months now and if you couldn’t tell from the title already, that fruit is… blood orange!
My mum is a huge blood orange lover, therefore, my mum is the inspiration for todays recipe.
Not only does she LOVE blood orange, but I also incorporated her other favourite sweet treat (which is shortbread) into todays recipe and these two incredible treats joined together as one is nothing short of amazing.
YUM. Just yum.
I have actually had this bake on my mind for a while now. It’s been on my list of ‘bakes to do’ but, I’ve had to patiently (I say patiently, I don’t have an ounce of patients within me when it comes to my baking haha) wait for blood oranges to come into season and you best believe when that time finally came round, I quickly got my hands on some.
These bars were gobbled up by my family and friends instantly, I don’t even think they lasted 48 hours! So, if that doesn’t tell you these are a hit, I don’t know what will…
So if blood orange is your favourite spring fruit and you’ve never thought of baking with it before, let todays recipe be your sign!
Get yourself down to the supermarket, grab a bag of blood oranges, quickly run home, get yourself back into that kitchen and let’s get creating.
Category: Sweet Treat / Desert
Serves: 10-12
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Base Baking Time: 15 Minutes
Filling Baking Time: 20-25 Minutes
Refrigerating Time: Overnight
Ingredients You Need For The Base:
- 225g Of Unsalted Butter
- 113g Of Caster Sugar
- 340g Of Plain Flour
- 2tsp Of Vanilla Extract
Ingredients You Need For The Filling:
- 3 Eggs
- 200g Of Granulated Sugar
- 118ml Of Blood Orange Juice
- 2tbsp Of Lemon Juice
- 60g Of Plain Flour
Ingredients You Need For Decoration:
- 10g Of Icing Sugar
- Blood Orange Segments
How To Make The Base:
- Firstly, gather together your equipment and ingredients, line a 9inch loose bottomed baking tin with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 180C / 160C Fan / Gas Mark 4.
- Secondly, in a large mixing bowl, cream together the 225g of unsalted butter with the 113g of caster sugar until lighter in colour and fluffy in texture.
- Next, add in the 2tsp of vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Slowly mix in the 340g of plain flour until it begins to come together into a ball.
- Now, press the dough into the pre-lined baking tin until smooth (TIP: to help even out the dough and create a smooth surface, I’d recommend using the base of a glass cup).
- Once the base is smooth and even, place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.
- When baked, take out the oven and leave to cool for 25-30 minutes.
How To Make The Filling:
- When the base has cooled, it’s time to make the filling.
- In a large bowl, using an electric whisk, whisk together the 3 large eggs with the 200g of granulated sugar until smooth.
- Now, add in the 118ml of blood orange juice and 2tbsp of lemon juice and mix until combined.
- Very slowly, mixing well between each addition to avoid lumps, add in the 60g of plain flour.
- Pour the filling over the top of the base and return it back into the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the filling is set but still has a slight wobble (TIP: keep a very close on this as you don’t want to overcook).
- When you’ve reached the consistency above, remove from the oven and leave on the side to cool down.
- Once cooled, remove from the tin and using a sharp knife, cut the bars into small squares.
- Place the bars onto a tray and into the fridge to set overnight.
How To Decorate The Bars:
- Finally, the next day, take the bars out the fridge, dust with icing sugar and top with a little segment of blood orange, then serve.
That’s your Blood Orange Bars prepared, baked and refrigerated, ready for you to enjoy!
Notes & Recommendations:
- If the filling comes out the oven with white bubbles or a white coating, don’t worry. This will disappear overnight.
- You don’t have to refrigerate but I’d highly recommend doing so as it really brings out the blood orange flavouring.
I’m sorry but how ascetically pleasing are these bars?
I’m so chuffed I got to have a play with blood orange before it went out of season and I’m even more chuffed with the outcome of these bars. They went down an absolute treat with everyone who tried them.
So unique and different, I love it!
Let me know in the comments below if you make these blood orange bars yourself and if you do, what your thoughts are on them? Are you a blood orange lover?
Sending you all tons of love & hugs as always,
Elle xo
