These passionfruit and lemon meringue dessert bars have a buttery graham cracker crust, and a smooth lemon and passionfruit filling with a torched Swiss meringue top. Best of all, you don't need to turn on your oven - these dessert bars are a delicious no-bake treat. Made in a loaf pan; yields 6 bars
Passionfruit and Lemon Meringue Bars
Hi! Happy Sunday! It is super hot here, and I am so stoked that I have a big old slice of this No Bake Passionfruit and Lemon Meringue Bar here with me right now!
These Lemon Meringue bars are the perfect summer dessert - you can make it without turning on the oven, and the recipe here is made in a loaf pan, so is the perfect quantity for either a small household or gathering. I love a no-bake dessert bar recipe and this one ticks all my boxes!
I was making half batches while I was testing, using a loaf pan, and then realised that the loaf pan batch made the perfect amount. A loaf pan is a great investment for small batch baking recipes.
I love making passionfruit recipes, but know that it is not always as easy to find, so you can use all lemon juice in this recipe for perfect lemon meringue bars!
If you are after more Delicious dessert bar recipes, check out my fresh rhubarb dessert bars, and my sugar cookie dessert bars!
No-bake Passionfruit and Lemon Meringue Bars
This is my take on a no-bake version of a lemon bar / lemon meringue pie hybrid. There’s a super buttery, vanilla bean graham cracker crust, then a silky lemon and passionfruit filling, and then a torched Swiss meringue to top it all off.
The meringue isn’t totally necessary - these are incredible without it too, but it does use up most of the whites leftover from the yolks used in the filling, and I just love torching meringue so, so much.
The lemon and passionfruit filling is adapted from a lemon meringue pie recipe one of my besties Erin did for a pie issue of the New York times a few years ago and I was instantly obsessed as soon as I tried it - it is super super tart, and has the most beautiful smooth texture. She used it for a really tart lemon pie, and so I tweaked it a bit to incorporate some passionfruit and to make it a tiny bit more firm, and turned it into these no bake bars!
New Zealand Vanilla and Butter
I used two of my absolute favourite ingredient staples from back home in this recipe - Heilala Vanilla Bean Paste, and Lewis Road Creamery butter. Great quality ingredients really do make such a massive difference when it comes to baking. We all know I’ve been a massive fan of Heilala for the longest time - not only is their vanilla bean paste incredible, but they are doing so many amazing things in Tonga. Their Vanilla Bean Paste goes in everything (I use it like salt), and I just love it so much. Lewis Road Creamery got started just before I moved over to the States, so I’ve had intense FOMO my whole time living here, so I am SO excited that they have brought their butter over now and are stocking it in a whole bunch of places! I always tell people NZ butter really is the best, and now I have a way to prove it!
A few wee tips
You can find where Lewis Road Creamery is stocked on their site - you can either find it in store or purchase directly from their site. Grab some of the garlic and chive butter too if you see it, as well as the one with the sea salt flakes - it’s all just so good.
You can use the code CLOUDY20 for a wee discount on Heilala’s site!
If you are making these lemon meringue bars ahead (which works great), hold off from adding the meringue topping until you are nearly ready to serve as meringue can get a little weepy. At the same time if you don’t want to add the meringue this is amazing just as is!
I used this loaf pan. You want something with straight sides if you can! Something this size (9”x5”) would work great too - you can use a smaller loaf pan but you will end up with a thick layer.
If you can’t find passionfruit puree (mine is in the freezer section at my grocery store), you can just use all lemon juice instead and it will work great!
If you are using fresh passionfruit, whizz the pulp in the food processor to separate the seeds from the wee pod thing around them, then strain and use the juice that comes out.
- I use a blow torch from the hardware store instead of a culinary torch. The filling is likely to melt if you try and do this in the oven, so If you don't have a blow torch, you can either leave off the meringue, or have it untoasted (swiss meringue is already 'cooked' during the water bath phase so is safe to eat).
- If you cannot find graham crackers, you can use digestives - you will just need to use a little less butter as they are less absorbent. The mixture should look like wet sand so hold back a little of the butter until you get the right consistency.
❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️
I would LOVE for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram!
Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Thank you so much to Taste of New Zealand of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise for Sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own.
Passionfruit And Lemon Meringue Bars Recipe
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No-bake Passionfruit and Lemon Meringue Bars
- Prep Time: 45
- Total Time: 45 minutes, plus chilling time
- Yield: 6 slices 1x
Description
These passionfruit and lemon meringue dessert bars have a buttery graham cracker crust, and a smooth lemon and passionfruit filling with a torched Swiss meringue top. Best of all, you don't need to turn on your oven - these dessert bars are a delicious no-bake treat. Made in a loaf pan; yields 6 bars
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 180g Graham Crackers, processed until crumbs (if you can’t get graham crackers use digestives)
- 20g sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 95g Lewis Road Creamery Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ tsp Heilala Vanilla Bean Paste
Passionfruit and Lemon Filling
- 110g Passionfruit puree (see notes)
- 110g freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 60g water
- 165g sugar
- 22g corn starch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 4 egg yolks
- 55g Lewis Road Creamery Unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- ½ tsp Heilala Vanilla Bean Paste
Swiss Meringue
- 100g egg whites
- 150g sugar
- ½ tsp Heilala Vanilla Bean Paste
Instructions
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
- Line a 9”x5” (see notes) loaf pan with a parchment paper sling - use two pieces so that you have four ‘handles’ extending over the edges.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Add the Heilala Vanilla Bean Paste to the Lewis Road Creamery butter, and mix to combine. Add the butter mixture into the dry ingredients and mix to combine - it should resemble wet sand.
- Press evenly into the bottom of the loaf pan and place in the freezer for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the passionfruit and lemon topping.
PASSIONFRUIT AND LEMON FILLING
- Combine the passionfruit puree, lemon juice, and water in a medium saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and corn starch to remove any lumps, add the salt, and whisk into the wet ingredients.
- Place over medium heat and cook, whisking frequently, until boiling and thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
- While the mixture is cooking, whisk together the egg and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisking the egg mixture constantly, pour about half of the hot passionfruit and lemon mixture into the bowl with the eggs, whisking until well combined. This tempers the eggs so that they do not scramble when you cook them.
- Transfer the egg mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is thickened, 4 to 5 minutes - if you drag the spatula across the bottom of the pot, you should be left with a line which closes over on itself.
- Remove from the heat, switch back to a whisk, and add the Lewis Road Creamery Butter a cube at a time, whisking until well incorporated. Add the Heilala Vanilla Bean Paste and mix to incorporate.
- Strain the mixture through a sieve directly onto the prepared chilled crust, and smooth down slightly. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the filling, and chill until set and cooled completely, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
SWISS MERINGUE AND ASSEMBLY
- Measure the egg whites and granulated sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer or other heatproof bowl. Place over a pot of simmering water, ensuring that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the mixture, whisking often and watching the edges carefully, until it no longer feels gritty when rubbed between your fingers, and it registers at least 160°f / 70°c on a thermometer.
- Carefully transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the vanilla bean paste. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks just start to form - you do not want the meringue to dry out too much or it will not shape nicely. It should be glossy and flow slightly.
- Remove the bars from their pan using the handles.
- Dollop the meringue on top of the bars, and swoop into your desired shape using an offset spatula. Torch using a blow torch. Slice into pieces using a sharp knife. Store leftovers in the fridge.
Notes
Passionfruit and Lemon Topping adapted from Erin Mcdowell via the New York Times
Comments
Iris says
Hi there! I’m just making this now and I let the bars chill in the fridge for 4 hours and it’s still not set yet.
Would it be bad if I put them in the freezer? I’m hoping to cut them super smooth like how yours are, but when I touched the top of mine just now the curd stuck to my finger. Thanks!!
Erin says
Hi! Hmmm I wouldn't freeze them! It might make the filling go a little strange!
Suzanne says
Hi Erin, I quite often use a milk arrowroot biscuit for my bases, but see you have the Graham Cracker (Digestive alternative for us Kiwi's)...can you tell me what the taste texture difference might be between the arrowroot and digestive?
Erin says
Hi! digestives are like graham crackers in that they are made with some wholemeal flour. I haven't lived at home for 7 years and never really ate arrowroot biscuits so i'm not sure sorry!
Megan says
Absolutely love this recipe, will definitelybe making it again! It turned out super well and my family loved it!
Zahra says
I made this in a small tart pan with only lemon juice for the curd and it was sooo good! The curd is the the creamiest I’ve ever tried and the meringue was so quick! I’ve always been scared of the Swiss method for meringue probably cause I was scared of turning my back and ending up with a sweet egg white omelette, but it’s so much faster than Italian meringue. I did find that my curd was a bit on the looser side even though I cooked it a bit longer until it was thicker than what you had on your Instagram story and yet it wasn’t as firm as yours was. How can I fix this? Thanks!
Erin says
Hi! Hmmmmm it may have just been the lemon juice vs the lemon and passionfruit that made a difference? Lemon is a bit more acidic than passionfruit I think so it may have mucked with the setting agent a little? So happy you loved!
Alissa says
Made this for a dinner of 4 people and it was the perfect size to have a little breakfast slice leftover. Everyone agreed that this was one of the best things I’ve ever made! Followed the recipe exactly but used a slightly smaller loaf pan because that’s all I had, and it still worked out perfectly.
Kate Mutchnik says
If I doubled this recipe, what size pan should I use? 8x8? Thanks.
Erin says
Yesss that should work!
Rachel says
I know this might ruin the spirit of calling them no-bake, but could I finish these under the broiler if I don’t have a blowtorch?
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! There's a note on this in the post - I don't think so sorry, as the filling will melt.
Barbara says
These never fail!! I love them
Erin says
Thank you!
Jess says
Absolutely delicious and would make again. Next time I would make in a tart shell format as the curd didn't set firm, even after being in the fridge for a day and a half.. A crust up the sides to hold it all in and it would be perfect!
Barbara says
I make this over and over and it's always a hit. Delicious and never turns out wrong.
Erika Storck says
This recipe was so delicious! My husband's favorite fruit is passionfruit and he absolutely loved it and he isn't really a dessert guy. Definitely will be making again!
Erin Clarkson says
Ahh so happy you loved them!
Angelina Vincenzi says
Hi!! I am so excited to try this recipe!! I can’t find any fresh passion fruits or passion fruit purée at the grocery store, I was wondering if passion fruit cocktail would work for this recipe? Thank you so much!! 🙂
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! I think that would be too sweet sorry, you want one without any sugar added. You could use all lemon juice!
Ana says
This turned out so delicious! I didn't have passion fruit puree on hand so went full lemon. Love the generous amount of meringue and all of those vanilla flecks! Thank you for sharing this great recipe! It's a big hit at our house 🙂
Janneke de Ridder says
Suuuper delicious! The combination sweet and tangy is perfect. Also the curd set perfectly after 3 hours in the fridge. And always a sucker for swiss meringue!
Amber says
Such a delicious slice, the flavour is amazing and the textures work so well together. Definitely a recipe I’ll be making again!
Deborah Greenberg says
Do you have a recommendation for a substitute for passion fruit?
Erin Clarkson says
You can just use all lemon juice!
Beth Lubotsky says
Made these as a bright alternative on Thanksgiving and they were a hit! Whole Foods in the U.S. now sells bags of frozen passion fruit so getting the ingredients together was easy. Mine were still wiggly and jiggly when fully set but still held together beautifully. Instead of the meringue, we topped with whipped cream and it was a dream. Beautifully tart!
Julie says
Made with all Meyer lemon so reduced the sugar by 1/3. A hit! So yummy and came out just as described. Another cloudy winner!
Sus J says
Made this this weekend for the first time, let it set up overnight to eat today. The combo lemon and passionfruit flavour is so zingy and divine. I've never made Swiss meringue before, Erin makes it clear how to do this and it was very successful. Even using just the normal beater attachment on my old 1950s Sunbeam mixer, worked perfectly. I made half the amount though, which was plenty for us. Rave reviews from the family. Definitely recommend this recipe for any occasion. Photo is half the total "bar" before slicing.