📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. I like to line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides, which makes removing the baked bars a breeze. Trust me, you'll thank me later!
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. I find that using an electric mixer makes this step much easier and faster. But hey, if you wanna do it by hand, more power to ya!
3. Gradually add the flour and salt to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix! You want the dough to come together, but not become tough.
4. Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Prick the crust all over with a fork. This helps prevent it from puffing up too much during baking. Nobody wants a puffy crust!
5. Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes, or until it's lightly golden brown. Keep a close eye on it, as ovens can vary. You want it perfectly golden, not burnt to a crisp.
6. While the crust is baking, prepare the rhubarb custard filling. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. Make sure there aren't any lumps! Lumpy custard is not a good look.
7. Stir in the milk and vanilla extract until well combined. Set aside.
8. Once the crust is pre-baked, arrange the diced rhubarb evenly over the crust. Don't overcrowd it! You want the custard to be able to seep in between the pieces.
9. Pour the custard mixture over the rhubarb. Spread it evenly with an offset spatula. This will ensure that every bite is custardy and delicious.
10. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is lightly golden brown. The center should be mostly set, with just a slight jiggle. It will continue to set as it cools.
11. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars. This is the hardest part, I know! But trust me, they're much easier to cut when they're cool. Plus, the flavours will meld together even more.
12. Once cooled, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Then, devour! (responsibly, of course.)