Key Lime Pie Bars
Crust
5 oz animal crackers
3 T packed light or dark brown sugar
Pinch table salt
4 T unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled
Filling
2 oz cream cheese, room temp (I accidently bought some bizzare named cream cheese starting with an N, but it tasted the same)
1 T grated lime zest, minced
pinch table salt
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg yolk
1/2 C Key lime or regular lime juice
Garnish (optional)
3/4 C shredded sweetened coconut, toasted until golden crisp (I never do this as I don't like coconut)
Note: If you cannot find fresh key limes (or if you don't want to spend forever juicing them...) use regular limes. DO NOT use bottled lime juice. Grate the zest from the limes before juicing them, avoiding the bitter white pith that lies just beneth the outermost skin.
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325. Cut about 12-inch length extra wide, heavy duty foil. Line 8-inch square baking pan, allowing excess foil to overhang pan sides. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. To Make the Crust: In workbowl of food processor, pulse animal crackers until broken down, about ten 1-second pulses; process crumbs until evenly fine, about 10 seconds. Add brown sugar and salt; process to combine, 10 to 12 1-second pulses. Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter, about ten 1-second pulses. Press crumbs evenly and firmly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until deep golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling. Do not turn off oven.
3. To Make the Filling: While crust cools, in medium bowl, stir cream cheese, zest, and salt with rubber spatula until softened, creamy and thouroughly combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until incorporated and no lumps of cream cheese remain; whisk in egg yolk. Add lime juice and whisk gently until incorporated (mixture will thicken slightly).
4. To Assemble and Bake: Pour filling into crust; spread to corners and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Bake until set and edges begin to pull away slightly from sides, 15 - 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temp, 1 to 1.5 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
5. Loosen edges with paring knife & lift bars from baking pan using foil extensions; cut bars into 16 squares. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if using, and serve. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days; crust will begin to soften. Let bars stand at room temp about 15 minutes before serving.
~ Cooks Illustrated 81
