Earl Grey Guava Lemon Bars (Printable format)

Elegant bars featuring Earl Grey tea, sweet guava, and fresh lemon on a buttery crust.

# List of 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

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides 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 a crumbly dough forms.
03 - Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden around the edges.
04 - While crust bakes, combine guava paste and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until paste melts into a thick, spreadable consistency. Remove from heat.
05 - Carefully spread melted guava paste evenly over the hot crust immediately after removing from oven.
06 - In a 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 and return pan to oven. Bake for 15-18 minutes until center is just set and does not jiggle when gently shaken.
08 - Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.
09 - Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 16 equal squares. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The Earl Grey whispers through everything without ever shouting—it's like a secret only you and the person eating it will notice.
  • That guava layer is pure comfort disguised as fancy, giving you something warm and jammy that holds the whole bar together.
  • They look stunning on a plate, which means you can serve them at a dinner party and actually receive compliments instead of questions.
02 -
  • Don't skip the refrigeration time—I learned this the hard way by cutting into them too early and watching them crumble into something resembling sand instead of elegant bars.
  • If your guava paste is particularly thick, the water ratio might need adjustment; add it slowly and you'll feel when the consistency is right instead of guessing.
  • The Earl Grey flavor intensifies the longer these sit, so they're actually better the next day than right out of the fridge.
03 -
  • If you want an even more pronounced tea flavor, steep two Earl Grey tea bags in the lemon juice for ten minutes before straining and adding it to the filling—it's a game-changer.
  • Don't rush the cooling process; the bars need time to set properly or they'll fall apart, but rushing it also means you miss that moment when everything comes together perfectly.
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