Orange Curry Bars

Yield: about 24 bars

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon St. Louis Herb Society Curry Powder or
store-bought equivalent
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
zest of 2 large oranges
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
2 ½ tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons (or more) orange juice concentrate, thawed

Equipment:

a stand mixer or an electric hand-mixer, a 9×13-inch baking pan

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix 2 cups flour and the curry powder together in a small bowl. Beat 1 cup butter and ½ cup confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and mix well. The dough will be stiff. Press the dough firmly in an ungreased 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown.

Reserve ⅓ teaspoon of the orange zest for the glaze. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer until thick and pale yellow. Add 2 cups granulated sugar, the remaining orange zest and ⅓ cup orange juice concentrate and mix well. Stir in ¼ cup flour and the baking powder. Pour over the hot crust. Return to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven to cool.

Mix 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, 2 ½ tablespoons butter, the reserved ⅓ teaspoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate in a small bowl. Add orange juice concentrate if needed to reach a spreadable consistency. Spread over the cooled filling. Chill until the glaze is set. Cut into bars before serving.

From Herbal Cookery From the Kitchens and Gardens of the St. Louis Herb Society, The St. Louis Herb Society, 2009, page 155.
This recipe was featured in the September 2023 issue of the Society’s newsletter The Thymes.
To obtain a copy of this recipe click on Orange Curry Bars

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