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A Taste of Aloha-Lilikoi Bars with Fresh Lilikoi Glaze

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Recipe Update: There have been several comments where readers have said the crust was not cooked through with the time allotted. I have not had that problem, however every oven is different. If you prefer a more “crust” feel, pre-bake crust for 15 minute before pouring filling over.
This is possibly one of the best deserts that I have ever made.
I’ve made lemon bars before, but a taste of the islands takes this to an entirely different flavor profile that I have not experienced since I moved from Hawaii.
Mom still lives there, and I shared with many of you on Facebook and Twitter that I arrived home one day last week to a HUGE box of fresh lilikoi (Hawaiian for passion fruit).
Now when I mean fresh, I mean fresh from HER tree!
Can you believe it? The fruity smell was permeating out of the box even before I opened it!
So let me tell you about this beautiful tropical fruit, lilikoi.
-The wrinklier it looks, the better and sweeter it is! So all that brown/wrinkle, that’s good stuff!
-There are seeds inside that are practically impossible to break, so best way to remove the pulp and juice is a quick swish in the food processor or blender. (Will explain.)
-Enjoy-lilikoi is AMAZING!
I had to pick the best desert possible to showcase this amazing and exotic fruit. I was thinking about lemon bars-how prefect are they. Tangy and sweet, a thick coating of fruit-this would fit perfectly for the
 lilikoi-And there we have it-Lilikoi Bars were born.
I wish blogs had some type of taste-sensory mechanism; there is nothing quite like the flavor of passion fruit. This unique flavor is romantic and tart. The aroma and scent alone bring me right back to Hawaiian waters and fresh citrus trees. Tasting its juice is exotic and floral, you know that it is passion fruit and nothing else. A strong citrus bite, but one that puckers well with added sweetness.
Note* -I made this using fresh lilikoi, if you can not find fresh lilikoi, I have heard that many Asian or South American markets carry passion fruit concentrate. Try that and let me know how you do!
Method:
1) First, let’s make the lilikoi juice. Cut eat fruit in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds and place in food processor or blender.
2) Pulse a few short times for no more than 30 seconds. This will pull the pulp away from the seeds and get more juice out.
3) Pour pulp into a sieve with a bowl underneath (1/2 c at a time) and use the back of spoon to push down on the pulp and juice. Reseve 1 cup of juice and discard seeds.
Fresh Lilikoi Juice!

Now onto the Bars:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2) For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

3) Combine the flour and salt and with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed.

4) Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides.

5) Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes (or speed it up in the freezer for 15 minutes).

For the Filling

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lilikoi juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool.

 For the Lilikoi Glaze
1) Boil water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes.

2) Add passion fruit and lemon juice and boil for a further 3 minutes. It will boil rapidly and looks like it expanded.

3) Remove from heat and allow to cool. It will turn into a thick and sugary passion fruit syrup!
4) Allow to cool and drizzle over lilikoi bars!
Print Recipe
3.67 from 12 votes

A Taste of Aloha-Lilikoi Bars with Fresh Lilikoi Glaze and my 1st Giveaway!

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1/2 lb unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 2 c flour sifted
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt

Filling

  • 6 large eggs at room temperature
  • 2 c sugar
  • 1 c fresh lilikoi juice about 10 lilikoi
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 lemon juice and zest

Glaze- adapted from here

  • 1/4 c water
  • 1/2 c granulated sugar
  • 1/4 c lilikoi fruit juice about 6 lilikoi
  • Juice of 1/4 lemons

Instructions

  • First, make the lilikoi juice. Cut eat fruit in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds and place in food processor or blender.
  • Pulse a few short times for no more than 30 seconds. This will pull the pulp away from the seeds and get more juice out.
  • Pour pulp into a sieve? with a bowl underneath (1/2 c at a time) and use the back of spoon to push down on the pulp and juice. Reserve 1 cup of juice and discard seeds.
  • Now onto the Bars. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
  • Combine the flour and salt and with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed.
  • Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides.
  • Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes (or speed it up in the freezer for 15 minutes).
  • *Update: For a more "crust" feel, bake crust for 15 minutes before pouring filling over.
  • For the filling, Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lilikoi juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour.
  • Pour over the crust and bake for 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool.
  • For the Lilikoi Glaze, boil water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes.
  • Add passion fruit and lemon juice and boil for a further 3 minutes. It will boil rapidly and looks like it expanded.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool. It will turn into a thick and sugary passion fruit syrup.
  • Allow to cool and drizzle over lilikoi bars.
 Now for the Giveaway!
When my mom mailed me this box of passion fruit, it made me really miss Hawaii and I wanted to be able to share my love of Hawaii with all of you.
One of my favorite cook books, and one that my mom gave to me when I moved from Hawaii to Cali is “Another Taste of Aloha“. Last week I bought another copy to give away to one of my readers!
A little taste of the Tropics during the Holiday season!
Giveaway is now CLOSED
How To Enter:
  • Write a comment below saying anything. Anything at all 🙂  (Please don’t comment as anonymous-leave your mame so I can contact you if you win).
To receive additional entries, you can also:
  • Like my Facebook page and leave a comment below telling me you did so (or let me know that you already do).
  • Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment below telling me you did so (or let me know that you already do).
  • Tweet about this giveaway: “Enter to win the “Another Taste of Aloha Cook Book” Giveaway hosted by @FerraroKitchen  and leave a comment below saying you did so.
  • Be sure to use separate comments for each entry!
 This is open to U.S. residents only (sorry). Please be sure to include your e-mail address so that I can contact you if you win. The giveaway will run until Friday, December 16 at 11:59pm CST. A winner will be chosen at random using Random.org from all eligible entries. Each reader has up to four chances to win (be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry). The winners will be notified through e-mail by Monday, December 19.
 Enjoy and Mele Kalikimaka!

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Comments

  1. Omg I love passion fruit and would love one of these bars right now! They sounds absolutely amazing. I really need to find somewhere that sells the pulp/concentrate! Your giveaway book looks so fun too! I'd love to win a Hawaii based book 🙂

    Reply

  6. Aloha Samantha! Those bars look AMAZING! How wonderful to get a box of fruit from home! I think it's a great idea to give away a cookbook from home too. Good luck with it!

    Reply

  9. I love Lilikoi also. I wonder if you could get away with making these with lilikoi jam somehow? That's about all that I can find here on the East Coast.

    I have followed you on FB, Twitter, and tweeted about your giveaway. Mahalo for such a yummy-looking recipe. I grew up in Aiea so I'd love to win this cookbook–I don't have it. 🙂

    Aloha! (@AlohaKarina on Twitter)

    Reply

  10. lol I just realized I need to leave separate comments for each entry. So the other was for twitter…This one is for Facebook. (I really want to win this cookbook!) 🙂

    Reply

  11. And I tweeted your contest. 🙂 That's three entries…that's enough. I feel like I'm cheating! Aloha and Mahalo from Maine!

    Reply

  12. So lovely to have found you today. Your bars are gorgeous! Love your giveaway!! Congrats on Top 9 Samantha:)

    Reply

  14. Lilikoi my absolute favorite! My mouth was just watering looking at these pictures and reading the recipe.

    Longing for a kailua passion right about now as well.

    I will figure a way to make these even if I have to get my friend to send me some of her fresh lilikoi, like your mom did!

    Jo

    Reply

  19. FYI – my first comment is gone. Sorry you are having comment issues with Blogger.
    I have not cooked with Lilikoi before but this has inspired me to give it a try. Thanks for the helpful information on seeding the fruit.

    Reply

  29. These bars look amazing! I love that your mom sent you the fruit! Tropical desserts in the cold of winter are perfect!

    Reply

  30. What a wonderful mom you have. I would have loved to receive a box like that.
    Then your recipe is just wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply

  33. i wanted to send a big mahalo out to you for the idea of pulsing the lilikoi in the food processor! for YEARS i have juiced lilikoi using my old standard methods of elbow grease, spoons, sieves and cheese cloth. the food processor technique was BRILLIANT! i had a batch of lilikoi to use and i was searching for new recipes to try out when i stumbled across your recipe. although i have a tried-and-true lilikoi bar recipe, your technique tips made my day! MAHALO NUI LOA!! and this recipe does look onolicious! =)

    Reply

    • Aloha Lisa!!! Thank you so much! You made my day!! I miss lilikoi so much! So glad the food processor helped!

      Reply

  34. My wife and I are going to make these bars tomorrow, along with some key lime bars. Looks like you added powdered sugar before the glaze. Is that correct? Recipe looks terrific. Don’t have lemons here in Haiti so will use limes.

    Reply

    • Hi Tom! Sorry I didn’t reply sooner, I just got back from traveling. Actually, it is either the powdered sugar OR the glaze, I think both would be too sweet (I’ll make the correction). Please let me know how they came out!

      Reply

    • Hi Laycie!! I’m so sorry, but the giveaway is closed! That post was from a few years ago 🙂 But thank you for liking me on Facebook and I hope you do try the recipe!

      Reply

  37. Could you clarify the directions for the glaze of the lilikoi bars? It says juice of 1/4 lemons. Does this mean juice of a quarter of a lemon, as in a lemon wedge? Or juice of 1 to 4 lemons?

    Reply

    • Hi Linda! I meant a quarter-half of a lemon. So when making the glaze, I just cut the lemon and squeeze the juice in. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  39. My brother and sister-in-law (who live in Hawaii) gave me the original “A Taste of Aloha” cookbook in the mid-80’s–love the recipes! We can get passion fruit juice in California–so I am going to try your recipe–it looks yummy.

    Reply

    • Hi Lynne! I’m in Cali too and found Goya brand passion fruit! it doesn’t taste the same but does the trick! I also strained it after it defrosted! Have fun!

      Reply

  40. I love Lilikoi. It has been my passion the last 2 years since the grow ony yard( the red ones$) and my neighbors yellow ones. I pick th everyday on my walk! Would love a cookbook. Mahalo for sharing da Aloha.

    Reply

  41. I don’t want to sound like a scold, especially because this is an amazing recipe, but *please* don’t mail fruit (in either direction) between Hawaii and the mainland! Fresh fruit can carry pests like fruit flies that seriously damage agriculture. The Oriental fruit fly is all over Hawaii and loves lilikoi. Plus, just sending the juice would cut down on the shipping costs a lot!

    Reply

      • I was wondering if someone was going to say that. Haha! Just made these last night with lilikoi from a friend’s vine. So good! Hope your travels bring you back to Hawaii! It’s a place that stays with you forever.

        Reply

  42. Aloha!
    I am making lilikoi bars for a friends birthday on Monday. I picked the lilikoi off my neighbors vine so I will be making her a lilikoi cheesecake after I make the bars.
    Mahalo from the Big Island of Hawaii
    Roxanna Lopez

    Reply

    • Hi Barbara! I haven’t frozen them before but had refrigerated them for 2-3 days and they were great. I think freezing would be ok, but as they thaw there may be some condensation but taste shouldn’t be altered.

      Reply

  44. Good evening. I just wanted to share with you. My recipe is very similar to yours, with a few ‘quirks’!
    In the crust, I add a scant handful of crushed toasted raw macadamia nuts. For the flour, I substitute 3/4 organic coconut flour for standard. I bake the crust first.
    In the filling, I leave in the seeds for both nutritional and as the tickets contact.
    Just wanted to share…

    Reply

  45. Made these last night for book club…so glad we tasted them before we left- they were totally inedible! The crust was fine but the filling tasted like gummy raw flour. What a waste of wonderful homegrown Lilikoi.

    Reply

    • So sorry that happened Haley 🙁 Do you have any questions about the recipe I can help figure out? I can assure you, I’ve made this exact recipe no less than dozens of times without failure.

      Reply

  46. I am sorry to say that I made these and it was a complete disaster. When I checked after 30 minutes, the bars were nowhere near done. It took almost an hour to set. Also, the crust crumbled into crumbs and was under-cooked, and separated from the filling. Also, the filling was like rubber, and tasteless. I followed your directions to the letter. I keep thinking I missed something. Are you sure it would be better to bake the crust first or cook the filling before putting it into the pan.

    Reply

    • Janis, I am so sorry it didn’t work out for you. I am honest when I say I have never dealt with the issues that you just mentioned…ever and I have made the lilikoi bars no less than a dozen times. I would not recommend baking the filling beforehand because it seems like that would overcook the eggs. As far as the crust, after making the dough initially it is a bit crumbly, but with all the butter added and as you work it into the pan, it forms a cohesive crust. If you would like to email me, I’ll be happy to talk over the recipe with you and maybe find a solution togetehr? It really is one of my favs!

      Reply

    • I had the same problem and took off the filling, pressed the crust down again and baked it for 25 mins until golden brown, then made another filling and poured it over the cooled crust. It’s in the oven now, looking much better than the pale white crust the first time around

      Reply

  47. aloha mai ka mokupuni nuiʻo Hawaiʻi. He nui nā lilikoi a puni iaʻu. ʻO kaʻala mai ko lākou pua nani e hoʻopiha i ka ea. ʻO Hawaiʻi kekahi wahi kūikawā loa no kaʻuhane e noho ai. . . makeʻoe i ka’āina. Ke hoʻouna aku nei au i nā manaʻo maikaʻi iāʻoe.

    Reply

  49. 4 stars
    I made these bars last night – the flavor is wonderful but the crust was nearly raw. I did what another commenter here did and scraped off the topping and baked the crust for another 30 minutes. That made it much better but of course the top was a scrambled mess to put back on since it had already been cooked. I went back and looked up Ina Garten’s lemon bars recipe from which this one said it is derived, and sure enough, Ina has you bake the crust separately for 30 minutes before putting the topping on and cooking that.

    Reply

    • Hi Lyn! Thank you for commenting…I will definitely retest the recipe and make sure it is not raw. Though, so odd since I have made them a number of times with success. I’ll definitely retest and will notate it in my blog post and recipe. Thank you again and I am glad they turned out well in the end!

      Reply

  50. I have made these a handful of times and each time I do the filling is rubbery and separates from the undercooked crust. I followed your receipe to the letter

    Reply

    • Hi Lily! I have never had that problem of rubberiness or the filling pulling apart. I use the same base for other “bars” on my site too. However, I plan on re-testing these and will follow up! Thank you for commenting.

      Reply

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