Rhubarb Custard Bars Shortbread Crust (Printable version)

Buttery shortbread topped with sugared rhubarb and a vanilla custard, sliced into bright, spring-ready bars.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Shortbread Crust

01 - 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ For the Rhubarb Layer

05 - 3 cups (350 g) fresh rhubarb, chopped
06 - 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

→ For the Custard Filling

07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
09 - 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
10 - 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy cream
11 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
12 - Pinch of salt

→ For Garnish (optional)

13 - Powdered sugar for dusting

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt; mix until a soft dough forms.
03 - Press dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until lightly golden at the edges.
04 - While crust bakes, toss chopped rhubarb with sugar and set aside.
05 - In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until well combined. Add flour, cream, vanilla extract, and salt; whisk until smooth.
06 - Remove the crust from oven. Evenly spread the sugared rhubarb over the hot crust. Pour custard filling over the rhubarb.
07 - Return pan to the oven and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until custard is set and lightly golden.
08 - Cool completely in the pan. Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Cut into bars and serve.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • No matter how gloomy the forecast, the bright zing of rhubarb and silky custard always turns a plain afternoon into something special.
  • After a dozen tweaks, these bars now balance tart and sweet, with a crust that never goes soggy.
02 -
  • If you try to rush cutting before the bars cool, you'll end up with a gooey mess instead of those satisfying squares.
  • Using room-temperature eggs and cream keeps the custard from curdling—I learned that the hard way on a sleepy morning!
03 -
  • Dust with powdered sugar right before serving for that fresh-baked look every time.
  • Roasting rhubarb chunks first amps up their flavor and helps them hold their shape in the bars.
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