These gorgeous three layer bars are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! A lemon cream cheese base is topped with sweet strawberry and tart rhubarb, and it's all topped with fluffy whipped cream and fresh strawberry slices.Heavily adapted from Broma Bakery
In a medium pot, combine rhubarb, strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes before transferring mixture to a food processor (or blender) and puree until mostly smooth (aside from the strawberry seeds). Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
2 cups rhubarb, 1 1/2 cups strawberries, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, Juice of 1 lemon
Cream cheese bar layer:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add salt and lemon emulsion and whip to combine. Add flour and combine on low speed until fully incorporated. Dough will be very sticky!
Pinch salt, 5 oz cream cheese (block, not spread), ½ cup unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons lemon bakery emulsion, 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
Press dough firmly onto the bottom of the baking dish, spreading evenly to the edges. Bake for 15 minutes.
Prepare the strawberry rhubarb curd layer:
While the cream cheese bars are baking, prepare the curd. In a large bowl, combine your prepared strawberry rhubarb puree, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon emulsion, salt and as much red food coloring as you'd like. I use thicker gel paste, and usually use about 4-5 drops for a gorgeous red color. You want to make it a bit darker than you want the final result as it will fade a bit with the addition of flour and baking.
4 eggs, 1 teaspoon lemon bakery emulsion, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, Pinch salt, Red gel paste
Add the flour and whisk to combine.
½ cup all-purpose flour
When the bars are done baking, pour the curd evenly on top of the bars and bake for another 20 minutes.
Let bars cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to the fridge to cool and set completely (at least 3 hours).
Mascarpone whipped cream layer:
Chill a large mixing bowl in the fridge.
In your chilled bowl, combine mascarpone cheese and sugar on a high speed until completely combined.
4 ounces mascarpone cheese, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Add vanilla and heavy cream, and mix on a low setting until it is mostly combined. Now increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form – it may take a little while, so be patient!
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or lemon extract, 1 cup heavy cream
Once the bars are completely cooled and set, frost with the whipped cream and top with sliced strawberries. Cut into bars and enjoy!