Papaya Dessert Bars With Lime

Desserts are definitely something I enjoy making, especially if they include any kind of chocolate. That said, in the summer, I tend to gravitate toward lighter desserts that feature the variety of fruits on hand. Something as simple as a mixture of berries, drizzled with a bit of lemon and some whipped cream is usually enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. I also enjoy lemon bars, which are typically comprised of a shortbread crust and a tangy lemon baked custard on top. But I was looking for something different and having worked with papaya this past spring for a stir-fry I thought, why not try papaya for the fruit part of the bar?

Papaya Dessert Bars with Lime is an easy dessert to make and quite refreshing. They’re perfect for summertime. The trick for these bars (and any shortbread bar) is prepping the pan. In this case, butter the pan and then place parchment paper on the bottom of the buttered pan extending it up the sides. Butter the top of the parchment paper and dust with flour. This ensures that the bars won’t stick and, because the parchment paper extends up the side, the bars are easy to lift out and cut.

Make the Papaya Bars

For the shortbread crust, mix together the dry ingredients until they are thoroughly combined. Using a Table Knife, cut the cold butter into slices, working quickly to ensure the butter doesn’t soften too much.

Add the cold butter and vanilla into the dry ingredients and pulse in a food processor until the mixture resembles sand. Pour this mixture into the prepared pan and press the crust down until you have a packed and even crust.

While the crust is baking, prepare the papaya filling. Peel the papaya and cut it in half with a 6-3/4" Petite Carver and then remove the seeds from both halves with a spoon. Cut the halves of the papaya into quarters.

Once you have your quarters, cut the papaya into slices using a 7" Santoku knife

Place the papaya into a blender and blend into a puree, making sure it fills one cup.

Mix together the sugar, flour and sea salt, and set aside. Add the eggs, lime juice and honey to the papaya puree and blend until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and blend until completely combined and smooth. It should almost be glossy.

When the crust comes out of the oven, pour the puree mixture over the hot crust so there is an even layer and place the pan back into the oven to finish baking. Once cooked, remove the pan from the oven and allow the dessert to cool completely. When cooled, remove the bars from the pan by lifting up the bars by the parchment paper and place on a cutting board.

Using a Spatula Spreader, cut the dessert into bars. I trimmed the edges so the bars had a nice even edge on all four sides.

Place the bars on a serving plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. Make sure any leftover bars are refrigerated. But, who are we kidding…leftover bars?!

These Papaya Dessert Bars with Lime are a new twist on a typical summer dessert. The lime doesn’t overpower the papaya and you end up with a lightly flavored fruit over a buttery shortbread crust. It’s not too heavy and completely refreshing. These are easy to make and even easier to eat. We hope you enjoy!