Key Lime Bars
Key Lime juice from Dave & Jen’s 25th anniversary party
- 5 oz (140g) graham crackers, animal crackers or vanilla wafers
- 1 tablespoons (38g) packed light brown sugar
- pinch of kosher salt – or use salted butter
- 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons or 55g) unsalted or salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line an 8″x8″ pan with aluminum foil – you can do this by turning the pan upside down, and draping the foil over the bottom, then folding in the corners almost like wrapping package . Carefully remove the foil and fit it inside the pan. Pulse the crackers in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Add the brown sugar, salt, and butter, and pulse until it looks like wet sand. Dump the buttered crumbs into the pan, and press the crumbs firmly and evenly over the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan, taking care not to make the sides thicker than the center. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until fragrant and golden brown. Remove the crust from the oven, but don’t turn off the oven.
- 2 oz (60g) cream cheese, at room temperature – temperature of the cream cheese is important – if it’s not soft the filling will be lumpy
- 1 tablespoon grated lime zest, from an organic lime if possible
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 14-oz (400mL) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 drops green food coloring (optional)
- 1/2 cup (120mL) Key Lime juice bottled or fresh, or fresh lime juice
In a medium bowl, stir the cream cheese, lime zest, and salt together until smooth and creamy. Add the condensed milk and whisk vigorously until no lumps of cream cheese remain. Whisk in the egg yolk and food coloring (if using). Whisk the lime juice in gently. The mixture will thicken slightly. Pour into the crust and smooth with a spatula. Bake until set, 15 – 20 minutes. Cool for 2 hours at room temperature, then chill until serving (at least 2 hours). Cut into 16 squares.
Thanks to – http://manggy.blogspot.com/2007/11/lemon-squares-and-key-lime-bars.html#ixzz214xoRF6y
