Creamy Lime Squares

Did you really think I would send you off into the world tomorrow without a green dessert recipe in your back pocket?

Do people even still really say “in your back pocket” anymore? How about “on your computer screen?” or “on your iphone” or, even better, in your oven?

Truth be told, I was going to wait until tomorrow morning to post this finger-lickin’ puckery sweet creamy lime bar recipe but then I thought to myself there’s gotta be at least one of you out there that will stay home tonight, on a Friday night, and bake. And I’d really like to you bake this if that’s you!

This recipe is adapted from my lemon bar recipe that I posted a few years ago. Wow…did I really just say a few years ago? That’s weird. That recipe was from one of my very favorite cookbooks— My Nepenthe. Next time you’re in the market for a great cookbook, please try this one! It has beautiful photos, recipes and stories from my favorite place on earth, Big Sur. Speaking of Big Sur, I am taking Adam camping there for his birthday next month! Air mattresses, pedicures and wine will be involved.

Anyway, I just loved the lemon bar recipe so much I decided to adapt it for St. Patrick’s Day with lots of limes and a bit of green food coloring.

These squares really have the perfect balance of buttery, flaky shortbread and creamy, puckery lime filling. As much as I love chocolate desserts, I have to say citrus treats like this are always my absolute favorite!

Good thing I have a couple friends coming over later to help me with these bad boys…I can’t be trusted alone with a pan full, that’s for sure. And Dexter’s no help with this one.

So……happy hour idea? These + margaritas with the extra limes! I don’t really know if they would go together AT ALL, but I just had to throw it out there.

Creamy Lime Squares

makes about 12 squares

adapted from my Big Sur Lemon Bars, which were from My Nepenthe: Bohemian Tales of Food, Family and Big Sur

Print this recipe!

Ingredients:

for crust—

1 cup flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cold

for creamy lime filling—

2/3 cup fresh lime juice (from about 6 limes)

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

4 eggs

2 tsp lime zest

green food coloring (enough to produce desired green color)

powdered sugar for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

To make the crust, combine the confectioners sugar, flour and sea salt in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter and work with your fingers until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Press into a greased nine inch pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.

To make the filling, whisk together the granulated sugar and flour in a bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add the zest, lime juice and enough green food coloring to produce desired green color (but not enough to make your filling neon! watch out) and mix until everything is smooth and combined.

Pour filling over hot crust and return to oven to bake for another twenty minutes. When done, the filling will no longer jiggle. Let cool completely in the pan before slicing and dusting with powdered sugar.

Time:

1 hour

 

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Tagged as: baking, bars, citrus, desserts, holidays