Earl Grey Guava Lemon Bars (Printer-friendly)

Sophisticated bars blending Earl Grey tea, sweet guava, and zesty lemon in a buttery crust

# What You'll Need:

→ 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, leaving overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour, salt, and Earl Grey tea contents. Mix until crumbly dough forms.
03 - Press dough evenly into prepared pan bottom. Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden at edges.
04 - While crust bakes, combine guava paste and water in small saucepan over low heat. Stir until paste melts into thick, spreadable consistency. Remove from heat.
05 - Immediately spread melted guava paste evenly over hot crust as it comes from the oven.
06 - In large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, Earl Grey tea 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 gently shaken.
08 - Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.
09 - Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 16 equal squares. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The Earl Grey whispers in the background without shouting, letting the guava and lemon share the spotlight in a way that feels balanced and surprising.
  • These bars taste like you spent hours on them, but they're straightforward enough that you'll actually want to make them again.
  • They bridge that awkward gap between "just dessert" and "I'm trying to impress someone," which is basically everything.
02 -
  • The filling will look slightly underbaked when it comes out of the oven, and this is correct—it continues to set as it cools, so trust the timer and resist the urge to bake it longer or you'll end up with a tough, cake-like texture.
  • Refrigerating for at least 2 hours matters more than you'd think; it's what transforms these from fragile bars into something you can cut cleanly and pick up without falling apart in your hands.
  • If you want a more pronounced tea flavor, steep 2 Earl Grey tea bags in the lemon juice for about 10 minutes before straining and using it in the filling—this is a game-changer if you love tea.
03 -
  • If guava paste is hard to find in your area, guava jelly works as a substitute, though you may need slightly less water when melting it since jelly is already looser than paste.
  • The parchment paper overhang is not optional—it's the difference between pristine bars and a crumbly mess, so leave generous overhangs on at least two sides.
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