Description
These Fruit Custard Bars combine a crisp graham cracker crust with a creamy homemade custard filling, topped with a colorful assortment of fresh and canned fruits. Perfect for a refreshing dessert, these bars offer a delightful balance of textures and flavors, finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup melted butter
- 2 tbsp sugar
Custard Filling
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Fruit Topping
- ½ cup green grapes, halved
- ½ cup red grapes
- ½ cup canned peaches, chopped
- ¼ cup maraschino cherries
Finishing
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a bowl until well combined.
- Form and Bake the Crust: Press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of an 8×8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove and let it cool completely before proceeding.
- Make the Custard Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Heat over medium, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Temper the Egg Yolks: Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl. Gradually whisk a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the yolks to temper them and prevent curdling.
- Combine and Cook Custard: Slowly pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan while whisking continuously. Cook for about 5 more minutes until the custard is thickened and smooth.
- Finish the Custard: Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract and unsalted butter until fully incorporated and glossy.
- Assemble the Bars: Pour the custard evenly over the cooled crust, smoothing the surface.
- Add the Fruit Topping: Arrange halved green grapes, red grapes, chopped canned peaches, and maraschino cherries evenly on top. Gently press the fruits into the custard to help them adhere.
- Chill: Refrigerate the bars for at least 2 hours or until fully set to allow the custard to firm up.
- Serve: Before serving, dust the top with powdered sugar for an elegant finish. Cut into 24 squares and enjoy!
Notes
- For best results, ensure the crust is completely cooled before adding custard to prevent melting.
- Tempering the egg yolks is essential to avoid scrambling them in the hot milk mixture.
- You can substitute fruits based on seasonality or personal preference but avoid overly watery fruits to maintain custard texture.
- Bars can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- If desired, use low-fat milk for a lighter version, noting it may affect creaminess.
