There’s this grocery store I only half like and it rhymes with Schrader Joe’s. I love their flowers, variety of cheeses and cheap bottles of booze, but man do they make me mad sometimes. I went in there bright and early a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised to find that they were carrying green papayas. I happily bought one, attempted to make this salad, only to be stalled when I cut into the dang “green papaya” to learn that it was in fact a red papaya. So, there I was “stuck” with this beautiful papaya that had no home, no future. I adopted it and remembered that I had been wanting to make lemon bars without the lemon part.
I have issues with lemon desserts. I’ve divulged this info before, I think. Every so often I love it but lemon bars are usually not my thing. They usually just result in me making a less than pleasing face. Pucker central, USA.
I’ve actually been seeing lots of papaya in smoothies and I want to do this! I’m thinking a thick papaya, banana, coconut situation sounds uh-mazing. Or even a papaya lassi with cardamom and a dash of nutmeg.
Their color, flavor and texture is all a win. I paired this papaya with a few tablespoons of wildflower honey, which I picked up on the side of the road in Ojai a few weeks ago–it made for a killer combo.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup very cold unsalted butter, diced
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- *3/4 cup red papaya puree (from a red papaya that weighed: 1.5 pounds)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons good-flavored honey (I used wildflower)
- Powdered sugar (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the baking dish by buttering it, placing a piece of parchment on the bottom of the dish and then flouring it. Set aside.
- To the jar of a food processor, add the flour, salt and dark brown sugar. Pulse until combined. Add the cubes of butter and then pulse once more until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with a few larger chunks throughout. Transfer the butter and flour mixture to the prepared baking dish and press firmly so the layer is even. Place in the oven to bake for about 15 minutes, and until the edges are set.
- Meanwhile, let's make the filling! To medium bowl, add the sugar, flour and salt, and mix. Whisk in the papaya puree, eggs, lemon juice and honey. The filling should appear glossy and smooth.
- Pour the filling over the hot crust and transfer back to the oven for a remaining 20-25 minutes. You'll know the papaya bars are done when the filling appears set. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack until it reaches room temperature.
- Run a sharp knife along the sides and gently lift the parchment
48 Comments
These are probably some of the best bars I’ve ever seen. I’m not a huge papaya-lover but, trust me, you completely got me with these bars. They look wonderful and oh, so delicious! Hope my grocery store has some red papayas…fingers crossed!
xo, Elisa
Ohh I love papaya!
Carina
http://www.foodfortwo.net/
So yummy! I think I can make this one! We have papaya here in the Philippines! Thank you for this great recipe! 🙂
These are super cool!!! LOVE this idea!
I too adore papaya (I also love lemon-anything though!), but cannot stand it’s larger, more orange, pungent, strange cousin paw-paw despite their remarkably similar flavour. I have no idea why. These look delicious!
When life gives you red papaya…
These bars look awesome! You definitely gave that papaya a good home. 🙂
Whoa! I would have never thought to make something like these, but they sound incredible and look even better! I love their orange color!
Oh my goodness. Papayas are my favorite fruit, and I would have never thought to use them this way. I’m way too excited to try this recipe out.
I love lemon bars but I agree sometimes you never know how puckery they are going to be. I have to try this recipe. It is so pretty!
I really, really want to make these but there’s a typo in the recipe. Is it 3/4 cup papaya purée? I need to know cause I’m DYING to make these!
YES! Just fixed it. Thanks for catching it.
oh I another fruit bar! I can not wait to try this . My mother is big fan of Papaya as it reminds her of home. Fantastic!
these look so unique! how does one make papaya puree – just chunks of peeled papaya thrown into a blender until smooth?
Yes! I added chances to a food processor and pureed them until the mixture was smooth. Let me add a little bit above in the recipe on how to do this. Thanks!
Yumm these caught my eye immediately – what a great way to switch things up from the lemon square! They will be a HIT at summer BBQs :).
Yum, my mouth is watering.
What the what? Yes please! You are genius!
these look so beautiful – the color is like a sunset.
I was out-of-my-mind excited when San Antonio got a Schmader Schmoe’s this last year. I, too, love their flowers, cheeses, and boozes. Also, coconut body butter. But every time I get talked into something that a Schmader Schmoe’s employee raves is “fantastic” or “life-changing”, I’m always disappointed! I’m not a picky person either. Womp womp. The three buck chuck more than makes up for it.
Papaya bars! We get papayas here by the loads (being in Southeast Asia and all). I’ve gotta try this out. Papayas now are real sweet.
I saw that papaya too – now I wish I had bought one…
These are just lovely and that beautiful orange color, sprinkled with powdered sugar looks amazing!
never would have thought to make a papaya bar! how clever. that orange color is so beautiful.
I’m totally a lemon bar lover, but I love this unique twist!
[…] never had papaya. At least I don’t think I have. But these papaya bars from Adrianna. I mean, hello mr. popular at any BBQ or summer shindig I bring these to. (via A Cozy […]
what a gorgeous color! Love the idea of papaya, so different!
Fantastic!
Papaya is one of those fruits that I just want to eat and eat and eat until it is all gone. (Not such a good idea…)
These look amazing!
These look delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Hey Adrianna,
1/4 cup of butter = 1/2 stick
🙂 Mary Beth
Drats! Wish I’d scrolled beforehand. Was wondering why my crust was cooking so badly!!
OMG THANK YOU. I’ve been trying to figure out a papaya dessert to make for my fiance on his birthday. I’ve been through cookies- nothing. Cakes- nothing. THIS IS PERFECT because I want papaya, but it’s such a strong taste that I want some crust in it too for him to balance it out, not that he’s even gonna think about it when he eats them lmao. The only question I have is that how far can I make this in advance? Will they keep in the fridge for 1 or 2 days? I’ll have so much to cook on his birthday that if these could be ready in advance so I can just pull them out, it would be great lol. Thanks again!
Oh yes absolutely. They’re a good make-ahead dessert. I’d say the night before would be great. Just be sure to wrap the bars in plastic wrap so the crust doesn’t dry out.
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I live in Brooklyn in a West Indies neighborhood. I was craving something sweet, but have been trying to cut back on bad sugar lately, so I decided “I’ll just walk down to the corner produce store and get some fruit.”
Well, I love Papaya, and of course they always have an abundance of it, but without paying much attention, I grabbed a papaya half that was wayyy too ripe for eating plain. What to do?
Thank goodness your post came up near the top of my search. I had all the ingredients (including the wildflower honey) and just enough time to make it before bed. So much for cutting out the extra sugar tonight, but I will say these were excellent!!!
Oh man, this makes me so happy. Totally serendipitous!
Can I make this but with peaches? (which is what I have on hand)
Nope, I tried it with peaches and that does not work :/
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I made my crust gluten free, by taking 1/4 cup of each coconut flour, almond flour, and gluten frre all purpose flour…..the rest of the recipe I left alone They came out fantastically delicious.
Wonderful to hear!
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