Lime bars

By ibcarolek

What to do with all those limes!

Ingredients

• For the crust:
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick, plus one tablespoon)
• 1/4 cup (55g) superfine sugar (or regular granulated)
• 1 cup (150g) of unbleached all-purpose flour
• pinch salt
• For the filling:
• 1 1/2 cups (330g) superfine sugar (or regular granulated)
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup (150g) freshly squeezed lime juice (from 4-5 limes)
• 2 tablespoons lime zest (from 4-5 limes)
• 2/3 cup (100g) unbleached, all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

lime bars


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 degrees Celsius). Line a 8×8″ * square baking pan with a strip of parchment paper (8×14″) that covers the bottom and overlaps on either side. (This is so after it cools, you can pull out the entire pan of lime bars and cut them neatly. You can omit this step completely, though. You don’t even need to butter the pan.)
2. Cream butter, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer. Mix in flour until just incorporated. Press dough evenly into 8×8″ square baking pan.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. While it cools, prepare the filling.
4. Whisk all ingredients except for the confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl. Pour into crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes until filling is completely set. Let cool completely. (I help mine along in the freezer for about an hour.) Using the overlapping edges of parchment paper, gently lift the dessert from the pan. Cut into 16 squares. Dust with confectioner’s sugar.

* This recipe works really well with a silicone pan. If you have one, use it!



To get my lemon bars to stay neat when I cut them, I start by preparing the pan by putting a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom with the ends coming up over the sides. After the bars are finished baking, I let them cool completely on the counter, or I cheat and throw them in the freezer. Once they are pretty solid, I use the ends two ends of parchment paper to pull the whole brick of bars out at once (this is another reason to freeze them–the butter will solidify in the cold and the whole thing will come out without crumbling.).