Passion Fruit White Chocolate Bars

Name: Passion Fruit White Chocolate Bars
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 4 oz (115 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes; 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; ¼ tsp (1¼ g) salt; 1 (20 g) large egg yolk; 5 oz (140 g) white chocolate, finely chopped; 2 oz (55 g) unsalted butter; 1 cup (240 ml) passion fruit puree, room temperature, strained if fresh; 2 (100 g) large eggs, room temperature; ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour; ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar; ¼ tsp (1¼ g) salt; powdered sugar, for dusting (optional) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tangy passion fruit meets creamy white chocolate in these Brazilian-inspired layered bars. A buttery shortbread base supports a light, custardy passion fruit and white chocolate filling—the perfect balance of tart and sweet. These tender, moist bars are ideal for afternoon tea or as an elegant dessert.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 30 min
Wait: 2 hr 30 min
Total: 3 hr 25 min
Makes: 16 bars (9×9-inch pan)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) before you start mixing—this ensures the shortbread base bakes evenly
Chill all your butter ahead of time (at least 30 minutes in the freezer); cold butter is essential for a tender, crumbly shortbread
Have eggs and passion fruit puree at room temperature to blend smoothly with the white chocolate
Plan for at least 2 hours chilling time after baking; the bars firm up and develop their best texture overnight

1
Prepare pan and preheat ovenOven 350°F / 175°C
- Line a 9×9-inch (23×23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch (5 cm) overhang on two opposite sides for easy removal later.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2
Mix shortbread base
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour (125g/1 cup), granulated sugar (50g/¼ cup), and salt (1.25g/¼ tsp).
- Add the cold butter cubes (115g/4 oz) to the flour mixture.
- Using your fingertips, a pastry cutter, or a fork, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible (2–3 minutes).
- Add the egg yolk and fold the mixture together gently just until a shaggy dough forms.
- Do not overmix.
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Ready when: Dough just holds together when squeezed, with visible flecks of cold butter
Tip: Keep the butter cold; warm or soft butter creates a dense, tough crust instead of a tender shortbread.
3
Press base into pan
- Transfer the shortbread dough to the prepared baking pan.
- Using the heel of your hand and fingers, press the dough firmly and evenly across the bottom of the pan, creating a layer about ¼ inch (0.6 cm) thick that covers the entire surface.
- Using a fork, prick the dough all over at regular intervals to prevent puffing during baking.
4
Pre-bake shortbread baseOven 350°F / 175°C
- Transfer the pan to the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges are light golden and the surface is set but still pale.
- Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes while you prepare the filling.
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Ready when: Edges are light golden, surface is firm and set but not browned
5
Melt white chocolate with butter
- Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (double boiler setup), making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water.
- Add the chopped white chocolate (140g/5 oz) and butter (55g/2 oz) to the bowl.
- Stir occasionally as they melt together, about 3–4 minutes total.
- Once completely smooth and melted, remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool for 1 minute.
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Ready when: Mixture is completely melted and smooth with no lumps or grainy texture
Tip: White chocolate burns easily; keep the water at a gentle simmer and stir frequently. Never let the bowl touch the hot water, which can cause the chocolate to seize and become grainy.
6
Whisk eggs with sugar
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the large eggs (100g/2 whole) and granulated sugar (65g/⅓ cup).
- Whisk vigorously for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes pale yellow and noticeably thickened.
- When you lift the whisk, the mixture should fall in a ribbon that briefly sits on the surface before sinking back in.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale yellow, visibly thicker, and forms a ribbon when poured from a whisk
Tip: This whisking incorporates air, which helps create a lighter, airier texture in the final bars.
7
Combine passion fruit filling
- Gently fold the cooled white chocolate mixture into the whisked eggs and sugar using a spatula, stirring just until almost combined.
- Pour in the passion fruit puree (240ml/1 cup) and fold gently until smooth and fully blended.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour (60g/½ cup) and salt (1.25g/¼ tsp).
- Sprinkle this flour mixture over the filling and fold in gently just until combined.
- Be careful not to overmix, which develops gluten and makes the bars dense.
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Ready when: Filling is smooth and uniform in color with no streaks of white chocolate or flour visible
Tip: Fold gently to keep the batter light and airy; overmixing develops gluten and toughens the bars.
8
Bake passion fruit layerOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pour the passion fruit–white chocolate filling evenly over the cooled shortbread base.
- Spread gently with a spatula if needed to even out the surface.
- Transfer the pan to the 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for 15–20 minutes.
- The top should look set and matte, and the center should jiggle only very slightly when you gently shake the pan.
- A toothpick inserted 1 inch from the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
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Ready when: Top is set and matte, center jiggles only slightly when pan is shaken gently, toothpick has moist crumbs
Tip: Slight underbaking ensures moist, tender bars; overbaking results in a dry, crumbly texture. Watch carefully after 15 minutes.
9
Cool and chill bars
- Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool completely, about 35–40 minutes.
- Once cooled to room temperature, cover the pan with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours or overnight, until the bars are completely firm and easy to cut.
- The white chocolate layer should be set but still creamy.
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Ready when: Bars are completely firm and no longer wobbly when the pan is gently shaken
10
Cut and serve
- Using the parchment overhang, carefully lift the entire block of bars out of the pan onto a cutting board.
- Using a sharp knife, wipe the blade clean between each cut to prevent smearing.
- Cut the bars into a 4×4 grid, creating 16 equal squares.
- (Optional: lightly dust with powdered sugar before serving.) Serve chilled or at cool room temperature for the best texture.
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Tip: A wet or slightly chilled knife prevents the white chocolate from smudging. If the bars stick, dip the knife briefly in hot water between cuts.

Good to know

Tips

If you can't find passion fruit puree, blend 8–10 fresh passion fruits and strain through a fine sieve to remove all seeds—this yields approximately 1 cup.
The contrast between tart passion fruit and sweet white chocolate is essential; don't reduce the passion fruit or the bars become cloying.
These bars are best served chilled or at cool room temperature, when the white chocolate layer is set but still creamy rather than hard.
Toast the flour lightly in a dry pan for 2 minutes before adding it to the filling for a subtle, nutty depth that complements the passion fruit.

Make ahead

The bars can be made up to 3 days ahead and actually improve in flavor as the passion fruit and white chocolate meld together. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days (the white chocolate layer will soften). Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days; these are best served chilled. Freezer: Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag; freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours before serving.

Substitutions

passion fruit puree → Passion fruit curd (store-bought or homemade) or mango puree. Curd will give a smoother texture if you prefer fewer seeds. Mango will be less tart; add 1 tbsp fresh lime juice to brighten the flavor.
white chocolate → Milk chocolate or dark chocolate, finely chopped. Milk chocolate will be slightly less sweet. Dark chocolate creates a more sophisticated, less sweet bar with intense cocoa notes.
unsalted butter → Refined coconut oil (neutral-flavored). Use the same weight; the base will be slightly crisper but still tender. Avoid virgin coconut oil, which will impart flavor.
all-purpose flour → Cornstarch (use 50g/⅜ cup). Substituting half or all the flour with cornstarch creates a more delicate, tender crumb, though the bars may be slightly more fragile.