Key Lime Bars

By Addie

If you love lemon squares, you'll flip over these Key Lime Bars! Tangy and sweet with a coconut crust....I could honestly eat the entire 9 x 13" pan in just one sitting.

The recipe comes from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 3/4 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 3 cups sweetened coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1 package ream cheese (8 ounces)
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 pinch coarse salt
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed key lime juice

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 300. Toast the coconut on a parchment lined baking sheet for 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

Raise oven temp to 350. Lightly grease a 9 x 13" pan.

Combine the brown sugar through unsalted butter. Mix until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture; press remaining crust into the prepared pan. Bake 16-18 minutes; until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

Beat the cream cheese until soft. Add the sugar and salt and mix until well blended. Stir in the flour and then beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lime juice (room temperature makes for easy squeezing) and a drop of green food coloring (optional); mix until smooth. Pour onto crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the 1 cup reserved crumbs. Bake 10 minutes more until set on the sides and still slightly wobbly in the center. Remove from oven and let cool 1 hour. Move to refrigerator and chill.