Creamy Lime Bars Recipes

LIME BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter 13x9inch baking pan. Combine 2 cups flour, butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, ground almonds, lime peel and salt in processor and process until moist clumps form. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake until edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Whisk sugar, eggs, lime juice, baking powder and remaining 1/4 cup flour in large bowl until well blended. Pour over hot crust. Bake until topping is set and lightly golden, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Sift additional powdered sugar over top. Cut into squares.

LIME MERINGUE BARS

Steps:

• For the cookie base.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the flour, confectioners' sugar, brown sugar and salt on medium speed until well combined. Add the butter and beat until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Tip the crumbs into the prepared pan and pat down to make an even base. Bake the base until deep golden and set, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool, about 30 minutes. For the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lime zest and juice, egg yolks and salt. Pour the mixture over the baked cookie base and spread it into an even layer. Bake the filling until just set, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool, about 30 minutes, then cover with plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. For the topping: Just before serving, make the topping. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), add the egg whites. In a small saucepot fitted with a candy thermometer, heat the sugar and 1/4 cup water over medium-high heat without stirring. When the thermometer hits about 220 degrees F, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until just frothy and the yellowish hue has disappeared. When the sugar reaches 238 degrees F, increase the mixer speed to high and, with the mixer running, pour the sugar syrup into the bowl in a thin stream. Continue to beat the mixture until shiny, stiff peaks form and the mixture is cool, about 6 minutes. Scoop the meringue on top of the filling and use an offset spatula to swirl it around into decorative swoops and spikes. Using a mini (kitchen) blowtorch, toast the topping to an even golden brown. Cut into bars and serve.

LEMON-LIME BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in lime zest. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Press into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake just until edges are lightly browned, 13-15 minutes., Meanwhile, in another large bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Combine flour and baking powder. Gradually add to egg mixture. Stir in lemon juice and zest; beat until frothy. Pour over hot crust. , Bake until light golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

MINTY LIME BARS

Steps:

• Arrange an oven rack in the center position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square pan, preferably metal, with 2 sheets of aluminum foil, crossing one over the other and pressing the foil into the corners and up the sides. Butter the bottom and sides of the foil, and set the pan aside.
• Make the shortbread crust: In a medium bowl, use your fingertips to massage the lime zest into the sugar until the fragrant oils are released and the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the flour, chopped mint, baking powder and salt, and toss to combine. Add the ½-inch pieces of chilled butter and toss to coat in the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to smash the butter into the flour mixture, working until no large pieces remain and you have lots of moist crumbs that hold together easily when squeezed.
• Bake the crust: Scatter the shortbread dough evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan. Use your hands to flatten the crumbs into an even layer, working it into the corners and against the sides. Bake the shortbread until lightly golden across the surface, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. (Leave the oven on and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees.) Let the crust cool while you make the filling.
• Make the lime curd filling: In a small saucepan, combine the lime juice, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt and ½ cup/100 grams of the granulated sugar, and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, to dissolve the sugar. When the mixture comes to a boil, whisk constantly until it thickens slightly from the cornstarch, about 1 minute, then remove the saucepan from the heat.
• In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks, whole egg and remaining ½ cup/100 grams sugar until the mixture is smooth, thick and has paled in color a couple of shades, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle the hot citrus mixture into the eggs a tablespoon at a time to slowly raise the temperature, until you've added about half the citrus mixture to the eggs.
• Whisk the egg mixture back into the saucepan, then set back over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the curd turns opaque, is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and barely hold the marks of the whisk (it will register 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), about 5 minutes. Remove the curd from the heat and whisk in the butter a piece at a time, waiting until each piece melts before adding the next, until the mixture is smooth.
• Bake the bars: Pour the hot curd over the crust and shake the pan gently so it settles in an even layer. Bake the bars until the sides have puffed and the center is set but still a bit wobbly when you shake the pan, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan
• Chill before serving: Transfer the cooled pan to the refrigerator and chill until the bottom of the pan is cold to the touch, about 1 hour. This will harden the butter in both the curd and crust, making it easier to remove the bars from the pan and slice.
• Use the edges of the foil to lift the bars out of the pan, then peel down the sides of the foil and slide a metal spatula underneath to loosen the crust from the foil. Slide the bars off the foil onto a cutting board and slice into 16 squares. Dust with confectioners' sugar and top with more lime zest before serving. They are best eaten on the first or second day, but will keep for up to 5 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

CREAMY LIME BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Combine pretzels, granulated sugar, and butter in medium bowl; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of prepared pan.
• Bake crust for 7 to 10 minutes.
• Mix sweetened condensed milk, eggs, lime juice, orange juice, and lime peel in a large bowl.
• Pour evenly over crust.
• Bake 25 minutes. Cool and chill.
• May garnish with powdered sugar, whipped topping, and lime slices before serving. Cut into bars.