Key Lime Bars

My grocery store had bags of key limes and I had to grab one. I wasn't sure what I was going to make, but I knew it was going to be good. These bars are a perfect balance of tangy and sweet. The middle is soft like smooth silk.

This recipe is from Martha Stewart.

Key Lime Bars

Makes about 16

1 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons finely ground graham cracker crumbs (I saved some extra to garnish)
1/3 cup sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
2/3 cup fresh Key lime juice (about 23 Key limes total)
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (Canadians: You will want to use two 300ml cans. That is slightly more than called for, but it totally works.)
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Key limes, thinly sliced into half-moons

Make crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Press evenly onto bottom of an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Bake until dry and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. (Leave oven on.)

Make filling: Put egg yolks and lime zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on high speed until very thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add condensed milk in a slow, steady stream, mixing constantly. Raise speed to high; mix until thick, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. 

Add lime juice; mix until just combined.

Spread filling evenly over crust using a spatula. Bake, rotating dish halfway through, until filling is just set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or overnight).

Cut into 2-by-2-inch bars. Put cream in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the clean whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Garnish bars with whipped cream and a slice of lime.

I actually couldn't wait for them to fully chill so my edges are a bit smooshy. :P