Grapefruit Curd Cheesecake Bars

Take advantage of citrus season and use fresh grapefruits to make these special grapefruit curd cheesecake bars. With a lemon poppy seed crust and grapefruit curd swirled in the cheesecake, these dessert bars are a wonderful harmony of citrus fruits.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Grapefruit: Use fresh grapefruit to make the grapefruit curd for the best results.
• Graham cracker crumbs: Finely ground graham crackers are often used as a base for cheesecakes and pies including these dessert bars. You can purchase graham cracker crumbs or make your own by pulsing the crackers in a food processor until finely ground.
• Poppy seeds: The tiny round seeds with nutty flavor add texture and flavor to the crust.
• Cream cheese: The soft, spreadable cheese with a mildly tangy flavor is the base for the cheesecake.
• Sour cream: The dairy product adds a tangy flavor and richness to the cheesecake bars. Substitute with mascarpone if desired.

Substitutions and variations

• Fruit: You can experiment with other citrus fruits and use lemon, orange, or lime instead.
• Base: Experiment with other crackers for the base such as vanilla wafers or almond cookies.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make grapefruit curd

I experimented with many different grapefruit bar recipes but the ones that shined were these grapefruit curd cheesecake bars. Take ultra-creamy cheesecake, pair it with a lemon poppyseed graham cracker crust, and swirl in homemade grapefruit curd and that's what you have here.

To make the grapefruit curd, all you need is grapefruit juice and zest, sugar, eggs, and butter. Do not use bottled grapefruit juice to make the curd, the quality is nowhere near the same!

Heat the grapefruit zest and juice, sugar, and eggs in a heavy-bottomed saucepot, whisking all of the ingredients together. When the curd starts to simmer, start adding little bits of the butter while whisking constantly. By adding the butter in small amounts and waiting for it to melt before adding more, you are emulsifying the ingredients. This will yield a rich custard, just what we need for this dessert.

Once the curd begins to thicken, transfer it to a clean bowl and let it cool completely. You can make the grapefruit curd several days in advance.

While the curd is cooling, make the lemon poppyseed graham cracker crust. I wanted to continue with the citrus theme so I decided to add lemon zest to the crust and a touch of poppyseeds for texture. Par bake the crust in the baking dish until lightly browned and let it cool completely.

Step 2: Make the filling

Now for the cheesecake filling. The cheesecake filling is a standard cheesecake recipe, using cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and sour cream. My best tip for making the filling is to use room-temperature cream cheese and make you take the time to beat it with the sugar until it's creamy. No one likes a lumpy cheesecake!

Use the help of a stand mixer to beat the cheesecake filling together. You can mix everything by hand but it might not get as smooth.

Pour half of the grapefruit curd into the prepared crust followed by the cheesecake filling. Then, place dollops of the remaining curd on top and use a spatula to make swirls.

I used to use a knife to make the swirls but quickly discovered that the cheesecake would always crack where I made the swirls. Lesson learned: use a spatula.

Step 3: Bake

Bake the grapefruit curd cheesecake bars in the oven for about 1 hour or until the edges have set but the center is slightly jiggly. I like to let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the door slightly opened to prevent any cracks from forming. The gradual temperature decline helps rather than taking it straight out of the oven to cool.

Like all cheesecakes, let the bars cool completely, preferably overnight, before slicing and serving. If you want to get extra fancy, top the bars with whipped cream and fresh grapefruit segments. The fresh fruit is a lovely contrast to the creamy bars.

So did these grapefruit curd cheesecake bars deliver? I strongly believe so! The creamy cream cheese with slightly tart and bright grapefruit curd complement each other beautifully and that crust! There is no question that these will be returning to the menu soon.

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can prepare the grapefruit curd up to 3 days in advance. Just be sure to store it properly in the refrigerator with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent skin from forming.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Frequently asked questions

More cheesecake recipes

Looking for more cheesecake recipes? Try these:

Recipe

Print Recipe

Grapefruit Curd Cheesecake Bars

9 cheesecake bars

Total Time2 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dessert bars

Servings: 9

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Grapefruit curd

• 1 tablespoon grapefruit zest
• ½ cup grapefruit juice (125 ml)
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar (135 grams)
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup butter, cut into small pieces (57 grams)

Lemon poppyseed graham cracker crust

• 1 ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs (125 grams)
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (9 grams)
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (27 grams)
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted (57 grams)

Cheesecake filling

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened at room temperature (452 grams)
• ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup sour cream (120 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Make the grapefruit curd. Combine the grapefruit zest and juice, sugar, and eggs in a heavy-bottomed saucepot. Whisk the mixture together until well combined. Heat the curd over medium-low heat. When the mixture starts to gently simmer, start adding the butter bit by bit, whisking constantly. Continue to simmer the curd until it begins to thicken, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the curd to a clean bowl. Place plastic wrap directly over the curd, touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely. You can prepare the curd up to 3 days in advance.
• While the grapefruit curd is cooling, make the crust. Combine the graham cracker crumbs with poppy seeds, brown sugar, lemon zest, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish to form an even crust. Par bake the crust for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Make the cheesecake filling. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating the egg before adding another. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until combined.
• Set aside ⅓ cup of the grapefruit curd. Pour the remaining curd on the prepared crust. Pour the cheesecake filling on top to create one even layer. Place dollops of the remaining curd on top, gently swirling the curd into the cream cheese filling with a spatula.
• Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until the edges have set and the center is slightly jiggly. Turn off the oven and slightly open the oven door ajar, letting the cheesecake gradually cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let cool completely at room temperature. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Slice into bars and serve.

Notes

The grapefruit curd can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.