Buttermilk LIme Shortbread Bars

By Texaschef11

Ingredients

• Crust
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter, cold
• Filling
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tbsp lime zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F. Get out a 9×9-inch baking pan (or a Baker’s Edge pan, if you have one) and set it aside.
Make the crust. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Cut butter into chunks and add to flour mixture. Pulse until mixture forms coarse, sandy crumbs with no piece of butter larger than a small pea. This can also be done by rubbing the butter in with your fingertips. Pour sandy mixture into pan and press mixture down very firmly (with your fingers or the back of a spoon) into an even layer.
Bake for 16-19 minutes, until just lightly browned around the edges.

While crust is baking, prepare the filling by whisking together all filling ingredients in a large bowl or whizzing together in the food processor.
When the crust comes out of the oven and is still hot, pour in filling mixture.
Bake for about 20 more minutes minutes, or until filling is set and does not jiggle when the pan is gently shaken.
Cool completely before slicing.
Top slices with confectioners’ sugar to serve.

Makes about 24 bars.