These are fun and different for your dessert rotation! They’re tart, tangy, buttery, and a little zing of lemon calms the grapefruit aftertaste, so you get the best of everything! I think these would look beautiful on a Mother’s Day spread or for any kind of summer get-together. These Sunshine Bars will be featured in the newest episode from Dessert for Days, airing with Rainbow Communications!

For the crust:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 stick shortening (butter works too)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
• a pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar, plus 1 extra tablespoon
• 6 TBS grapefruit juice, from  1 and 1/2 grapefruits
• 4-5 TBS grapefruit zest
• 1 TBS lemon juice
• ` 1 TBS flour
• 1 TBS cornstarch

Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 350. Line an 8 x8 baking dish with parchment if desired, or nonstick cooking spray.
Combine the flour, shortening, powdered sugar and salt with two forks or pastry cutter and press into the bottom of and 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.
In the meantime prepare the filling. Zest the grapefruits and set the zest aside in a medium mixing bowl. Squeeze the juice from 1 and ½ grapefruits into a small saucepan. Add the lemon juice and tablespoon of sugar. Whisk to combine. Boil for 2-3 minutes to make a reduction. Reduce the heat and let cool. Set aside.
While the juice mixture is cooling, whisk together the eggs, zest, and 1 cup sugar. Slowly add in the juice mixture so as not to scramble the eggs if it’s still warm! Whisk in the tablespoon of flour and cornstarch.
Pour the mixture into the baked crust and bake for 25-30 minutes until the middle is set. Allow to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar. Watch your friends’ eyebrows shoot up as they taste the zing!! Cheers, and Happy Independence Day!