KEY LIME BARS

By Shaylie

If you cannot find fresh Key limes, use regular (Persian) limes. Do not use bottled lime juice. Grate the zest from the limes before juicing them, avoiding the bitter white pith that lies just beneath the outermost skin. The optional coconut garnish adds textural interest and tames the lime flavor for those who find it too intense. The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 13- by 9-inch baking pan; you will need a double layer of extra-wide foil for the pan (each sheet about 20 inches in length) and should increase the baking times by a minute or two

Ingredients

• Crust
• 5 ounces animal crackers
• 3 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar Pinch table salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• Filling
• 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• I tablespoon grated lime zest, minced
• Pinch table salt
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup Key lime or regular lime juice
• Spray foil with non¬stick cooking spray.
• Garnish (optional)
• 3/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut,
• toasted until golden and crisp

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and
heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut about 12-inch length extra-wide heavy-duty foil; fold cut edges back to form 7-1/2-inch width. With folded sides
facing down, fit foil securely into bottom and up sides of 8-inch-square baking pan, allowing juice excess to overhang pan sides. Spray foil with non¬stick cooking spray.
2. TO MAKE THE CRUST: In workbowl of food processor, pulse animal crackers until broken down, about ten 1-second pulses; process crumbs until evenly fine, about 10 seconds (you should have about 1-1/4 cups crumbs). Add brown sugar and salt; process to combine, ten to twelve 1-second pulses (if large sugar lumps remain, break them apart with fingers). Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter, about ten 1-second pulses. Press crumbs evenly and firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling. do not turn off oven.
3. TO MAKE THE FILLING: While crust cools, in medium bowl, stir cream cheese, zest, and salt with rubber spatula until softened, creamy, and thoroughly combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until incorporated and no lumps of cream cheese remain; whisk in egg yolk. Add lime juice and whisk gently untilincorporated (mixture will thicken slightly).
4. TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Pair filling into crust; spread to corners and smoolth surface with
rubber spatula. Bake until set and edges pull away slightly from sides, 15 to 20 minutes.
Cool on wire rack to room temperature, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
5. Loosen edges with paring knife and lift bars from baking pan using foil extensions; cut bars into 16 squares. Sprinkle toasted coconut, if using, and serve. (Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days; crust will soften sligltly. Let bars stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.)
TRIPLE-CITRUS BARS
Follow recipe for Key Lime Bars, using 1-1/2 teaspoons each grated lime zest, lemon zest, and orange zest (mince zest after measuring) and using
6 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon orange juice