1
Rhubarb Compote
1 scant cup sugar
Grated zest and juice of 2 meyer lemons
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar along with the lemon juice and zest together over medium high heat until it starts to bubble and slightly caramelize (ie, faintly turns golden). Add in the ginger and rhubarb and let bubble and melt for 15 minutes, turning down the heat to a simmer. Set aside to cool.
2
brown butter shortbread crust
1 c unsalted butter
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 t kosher salt
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat the butter separates and the milk solids turn brown, stirring occasionally. Don’t let the butter over-brown, you want it to smell nutty and turn golden. Turn off heat and pour into a shallow dish to freeze until solid, about 30-45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Meanwhile, whisk together the powdered sugar, flour and salt. When the brown butter has solidified, cut into small pieces and use your hands to mix the butter into the flour mixture until well blended and the mixture resembles oats. Press this mixture into a buttered 9x13 baking dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Then, bake in the oven until golden, about 20 minutes, and let cool, but keep the oven on.
3
brown butter filling
3 large eggs
1 c sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1 vanilla bean
1/2 c unsalted butter
Tired yet? Keep going we’re almost there! Whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour and salt together in a bowl. This will be a gorgeous sunny, silky lemon colour (beautiful, right?). Set aside.
In a small sauce pan, heat the brown butter and the scrape the inside of the vanilla bean into the butter. Add in the pod too and let the whole shebang get brown and nutty. Since the mixture is already dark because of the vanilla, keep a close eye on things so the butter doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and remove the vanilla pod. Slowly whisk the butter into the egg mixture, stirring constantly until combined.
4
Pour half the filling onto the crust and spread just over half of the compote mixture over top with a rubber spatula in a relatively even layer. Pour the remaining filling overtop and use a spoon to drop small dollops of the remaining jam randomly over the top of the bars. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and the filling has set. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.
Phew!!