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These Blood Orange Bars are perfectly sweet, tart, refreshing, and delicious, you'd never know they're guilt-free! Lower calorie and lower fat than the original, and made without any added butter, oil, or sugar. If you like Lemon Bars, you'll love this recipe! Healthy dessert recipes at the Desserts With Benefits Blog (www.DessertsWithBenefits.com)
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Guilt-Free Blood Orange Bars

Servings: 9 bars
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
If you like Lemon Bars but are looking for something a little more unique, then these Blood Orange Bars are for YOU!  These have the perfect balance of tart and sweet, they're full of refreshing orange flavor, and have a beautiful pink color.  Best of all, these bars will satisfy your sweet tooth and dessert cravings without the excess sugar, calories, and fat.

Ingredients

Filling:

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Take the pie crust out of the fridge and let it thaw at room temperature for ~45 minutes, or until soft and dough-like.
  • Place a double boiler over medium heat with about 2” of water.  In the top portion of the double boiler, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and corn starch.
  • Whisk in the erythritol and salt until completely smooth, then whisk in the blood orange juice and zest.
  • Using a citrus zester, grate 2 tablespoons of the beet.  Whisk into the blood orange mixture.
  • Whisk occasionally for ~5 minutes.  When the water in the double boiler starts to boil, whisk the mixture constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.  Whisk constantly until thickened.  It should seem like it’s not going anywhere for a while, then it will thicken quite suddenly.  When this happens, turn off the heat but keep whisking the mixture over the double boiler for ~1 minute, or until it’s thick like a pudding.  Remove the top portion from the double boiler and let cool while you make the crust.
  • Unroll the softened pie crust and press it into an unlined, ungreased 8” brownie pan to get an even layer.  Bake for ~18 minutes, or until golden brown.
  • Scoop the blood orange filling over the crust and spread it out.  Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.  Bake for ~10 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles.  Let cool completely, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • Slice and serve the following day!
Nutrition Facts
Guilt-Free Blood Orange Bars
Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
Calories 190 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 185mg62%
Sodium 180mg8%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 300IU6%
Vitamin C 8.3mg10%
Calcium 150mg15%
Iron 1.1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Bars, Blondies & Brownies