Key Lime Pie Bars

Once again, Friday is here and I’m in need of a serious dessert kick! It’s been a really nice week with Cinco de Mayo, my mini-vacation and the weather warming up, so let’s celebrate with some key lime!

I’m all about lime, all year long. But this time of year is special because it’s socially acceptable to like lime in May. In November, not so much. That doesn’t stop me from squirting lime juice onto everything all the time, from salads to fish to salsa. Mmm.

Key lime is even more fun. Those little limes are so cute! They come in a bag and they just look so happy that someone is loving them and using them in dessert. And boy, are they right. I don’t know what I’d do without those little suckers.

With them, the possibilities are endless. And as much as I love key lime pie, I love the bars even more. They’re essentially the same thing, but I’m big into bars because it’s totally okay to eat several in one sitting. There’s this odd thing in our culture where one slice of pie is supposedly enough. As if! But it’s cool to eat lots and lots of bars. So you can bet I’m making all of this joy in an 8 x 8 pan. Aw yeah.

As usual, I like to kick my graham cracker crust up a notch by adding melted chocolate (white chocolate, in this case). It really adds some wonderful sweetness to the bar’s base, making the sharp tang of the lime even more distinct. If you’re into varying flavors in your dessert (salted caramel, anyone?), always melt some chocolate into your crust. And instead of using white sugar, use brown. It caramelizes the crust and makes it completely irresistible.

If you like your bars to be super tangy, just add more zest to taste. But don’t go overboard, because everyone has a limit. You want a good zing, but that’s about it.

This recipe is ridiculously simple. And it’s totally worth it. Eat up!

Crust:

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs

Filling:

• 1-2 tablespoons key lime zest
• 1/2 cup key lime juice (you can use bottled)
• 2 egg yolks
• 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat-free)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Coat an 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and white chocolate. Stir until smooth. Mix in the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar until the crumbs are moist. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan, being sure that you pack the crust tightly with your fingers.

Bake for 5-10 minutes until set.

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. Combine the zest, key lime juice, and egg yolks. Stir in the condensed milk and mix until thoroughly combined. Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 20-25 minutes until set.

Allow the bars to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least two hours (overnight is better). When you’re ready to serve, cut into squares!