KEY LIME BARS
Adapted via Martha Stewart
Serves: 16

Ingredients:
♦ 1 1/4 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
♦ 1/3 cup sugar
♦ 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
♦ 3 large egg yolks
♦ 1 1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest
♦ 2/3 cup fresh Key lime juice (about 23 Key limes total; I used bottled)
♦ 1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
♦ 1/4 cup heavy cream
♦ 2 Key limes, thinly sliced into half-moons (optional garnish)

Directions:
Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 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 the 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.

Bake the bars: 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.

To read more about these bars and my musical pairing, click HERE.