Limes and pistachios... There's lots of green in the recipe, so it's a perfect dessert to make for St. Patrick's day. Cut it into small pieces and serve it to all your friends who truly are or pretend to be leprechauns! This creamy, smooth dessert with a crunchy pistachio and graham cracker crust is a cross between a Key Lime Pie and the traditional Lemon Bars. It has a citrusy flavour and it's both sweet and tart. I repeat: it's citrusy and it has that lime aroma and taste which lend to it a unique and complex flavour. The coconut and the pistachios provide crunchiness. There are lots of flavours and textures mixed in these bars, and I recommend them highly! They're delicious!
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| about as fancy as I can get with my photo editing talent ... |
Ingredients:
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For the Crust
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the pan
- 1 cup shelled pistachios
- 1 cup (4 ounces) graham cracker crumbs
- grated lime zest from 3 key limes
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For the Filling
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 2/3 cup fresh lime juice
- grated zest of one lime
- chopped pistachios
- 1 or 2 tablespoons of grated coconut
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with melted butter, and line the bottom with parchment paper. The butter will hold the paper in place. Cut the parchment paper 8 inches wide and at least 12 inches long, so that it hangs over the sides of the pan. This will help lift the bars out easily. It's important to have the parchment in place, otherwise, the dessert won't lift out of the pan. Also, do use an 8-inch baking dish, because there won't be enough topping if the pan is larger.
- Break up the graham crackers into small pieces and place them in a food processor. Add the pistachios and the lime zest. Grind finely and then blend in the butter.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the condensed milk. Add the lime juice and lime zest and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the filling onto the cooled crust and carefully spread to the edges. The filling will be a thin layer, but it will puff up during baking.
- Bake until set, about 15 to 20 minutes. About five minutes before the dessert is done baking take it out of the oven and sprinkle the coconut and pistachios over the top. Finish baking.
- When done, cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then, move to the refrigerator and chill for two hours before serving. Once you're ready to serve, use the parchment paper overhang and lift the dessert out of the pan. Transfer to a cutting board and using a serrated knife cut into 16 to 20 squares, wiping the knife with a paper towel between each cut.
These key lime squares are based on a recipe by Martha Stewart.
