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Calamansi Bars with Polvoron Crust

Calamansi takes center stage in this Flipino twist on lemon bars. It’s tart, not too sweet, and perfectly paired with a Filipino shortbread crust. Give this easy recipe a try!
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Asian, Filipino
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

Calamansi Bar Filling
  • 8 eggs room temp
  • 1 cup calamansi juice room temp
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
Polvoron Crust (see Modern Polvoron Recipe)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour toasted and sifted
  • ½ cup powdered whole milk
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ⅛ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
Other Ingredients
  • powdered sugar for dusting. See Note 1.

Equipment

  • nonstick pan
  • mixing bowl(s)
  • whisk
  • silicon spatula
  • Our Place Everyday Chefs Knife
  • Our Place Cutting Board
  • fine mesh strainer
  • parchment paper
  • Our Place Bakeware large baking pan, approx. 11.4" x 8"

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 ℉ / 176 ℃.
Make polvoron crust
  1. Whisk together toasted flour, whole milk, white sugar, and salt. Mix in melted butter.
  2. In a parchment-lined baking sheet, transfer the polvoron dough and spread it out evenly. Press down with your palms to shape the crust.
Make Calamansi Filling
  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour.
  2. In another bowl, gently whisk the eggs to break up the yolks while minimizing bubbles. Stop as soon as the eggs are evenly scrambled. Mix in calamansi juice.
  3. Pour in about 1/3 of the egg-calamansi mix into the dry mix. Use a spatula to mix until well incorporated. Pour in the rest of the liquid and gently stir.
  4. Strain the mixture into the baking sheet. Hold the strainer at a low height to minimize splashing.
  5. Use a toothpick to pop any large bubbles.
Bake the Calamansi Bars
  1. Bake at 350 ℉ / 176 ℃ for 25-30 min until the center has just set. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the counter.
  2. Refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight.
  3. Transfer to a cutting board. Slice, dust with powdered sugar, and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Refer to our Modern Polvorons recipe for the Polvoron Crust.
Note 1. Regular powdered sugar can melt quickly when sprinkled on top of fruity tarts like calamansi bars, lemon bars, and lilikoi bars. Therefore it's best to use powdered sugar right before serving.
An alternative is to use non-melting powdered sugar, which is commonly used by bakeries to keep their pastries looking pristine in display cases all day long.
These specialty sugars can be found online (non-melting powdered sugar on Amazon) or at local baking supply shops. If you’re in West LA, check out Gloria’s Cake & Candy Supplies in Culver City.